


Looking For Answers: Tumblr Ficlets

by theprincessed



Category: Emmerdale RPF
Genre: Anniversary, Arguing, Baptism, Behind the Scenes, Birthday Sex, Blow Jobs, Coitus Interruptus, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Family Fluff, Foot Fetish, Hugs, Implied Sexual Content, Jealousy, Kissing, M/M, Meet the Family, Mother-Son Relationship, Outdoor Sex, Parenthood, Pets, Phone Sex, Pneumonia, Reading, Reunited and It Feels So Good, Romance, Romantic Gestures, Secret Relationship, Stag Nights & Bachelor Parties, Tickling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-15
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2018-10-19 09:22:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 22,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10636965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theprincessed/pseuds/theprincessed
Summary: A collection of dryan ficlets from my tumblr.





	1. Getting A Pet

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya! Some people said I should put some of my answers to asks I get in my tumblr inbox onto here as well, so here are my favourites. :)
> 
> Hope you enjoy x
> 
> Prompted by Anon - _When Ryan tells Danny he wants to get a pet with him, and like I feel like it really cements their relationship and the growth of it bc pets are such a big responsibility and danny goes 'what kind?' And Ryan replied 'baby you and both know we would want a dog' and like Danny's face just explodes into a big smile bc his heart is so full of love for the man_

“So, I’ve been thinking - ” Ryan starts one night when they’re cuddled up on the sofa at home.

“Uh-oh, T-Dawg, we better run for cover!” Danny interrupts, smoothing his hand over Tommy’s back where he’s snuggled into Danny’s thigh. Tommy lifts his head. “Run! Go on!”

Despite Danny’s enthusiasm, he puts his head back on his paws, uninterested in anything that isn’t a buzzword he knows is worth something, making Ryan chuckle. “He loves me.” He reaches over his boyfriend to scratch Tommy’s ears, “Good boy.”

“Traitor.” Danny mumbles, lip curling in jest.

Ryan tucks his face into Danny’s head, nuzzles his ear with his nose to bring his attention back. “Can I tell you my idea now?”

“Go on then, brainiac. Surprise me.”

“I think we should get a pet.” He grins at Danny’s shocked silence that follows, his hand drifting down to tickle his side. “Well, say something,”

They’ve been together a year and a half and known each other a little longer than two, but Ryan believes they’re ready for the next big commitment. It’s been three months since Danny moved in permanently to Ryan’s home and Danny always just assumed that Tommy and Lola would be it. He was fine with that, they can be a handful at times, regardless of how well trained and behaved they generally are and adding another member, almost, to their family is quite the risk.

“Are you sure?” he asks, unusually shy.

He’s smiling, but it makes Ryan nervous. “Of course I am. I wouldn’t suggest it otherwise. Why, is it not something you’re interested in? Because that’s fine if yo - ”

He’s stopped abruptly by Danny as he grabs his neck and pulls him forward, planting his lips squarely on Ryan’s for a hard, uncompromising kiss. It begins chaste, but Ryan can’t help leaning into him with his torso and squeezing his waist, fingers underneath the hem of his jumper. With soft lips and sliding tongues, he lets Danny take charge, taking anything he’s willing to give until Danny’s hand creeps over the inseam of his jeans, caressing his inner thigh without thinking and he has to know the answer.

He reluctantly pulls away, breathless. “Is that a Yes?”

“What kind?” Danny says instead, confusing him.

“What?”

Danny’s thumb finds the dip in the middle of his chin as he grins. “ _What kind_ of pet, Ryan?”

“Sorry,” he laughs, blushing at being so easily distracted. Lola chooses that moment to trot into the living room, her favourite toy clamped and swinging in her mouth as she settles onto the rug in the centre of the room, directly below Ryan’s bare feet. He can’t help the fond look that crosses his face when he thinks of her mad diva ways and Tommy’s energy despite his age and how adding more to their home could be the best idea, how maybe even marriage and children could be the steps after that because he’s certain that Danny’s the one for him. Ryan sees him roll his eyes at his soppy, romantic expression and it makes him love him more, it slowly turning into a smirk. “Baby, you and I both know we’d want a dog.”

Danny’s face lights up, blue eyes sparkling. “But isn’t two enough?” he teases.

“Never,” Ryan shakes his head, moving his arm until it’s up around Danny’s shoulders. “I want all the dogs with you, all the _kids_ , a full house if you like.”

He takes pleasure in how Danny’s jaw falls slack before he nods in agreement and Ryan turns his face, drawing him into another deep kiss to seal the deal.

\---

They discuss what would suit them and be as easy on Tommy and Lola as possible and a couple of months later, the Hawley-Miller household welcomes a miniature black and tan dachshund puppy named Bob, courtesy of Danny’s niece Kaitlin and a weird sense that as it stuck it somehow felt right. It’s a source of great entertainment to Ryan that Danny’s been caught not just once cooing at “Bobby baby” or vice versa when he thinks Ryan isn’t actually listening.

For that frankly adorable reason and many more, he turns out to be the perfect new addition to their family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


	2. First Argument

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by Anon - _But imagine their first argument? While I do generally think they're both p chill, I feel like the first argument is always the worst bc they're tip toeing around each other, and Danny just moved in a month ago but Ryan's told him not to leave dirty dishes in the sink and wet towels on the floor of the bathroom and Danny's said not to nag him he's 26 not six 'then act your goddamn age!' Ryan yells before leaving the room_

For the third week in a row, Ryan pulls the dirty dishes out of the sink so he can fill it and tackle the dish-wielding monster the kitchen has become. He hasn’t said anything to Danny about it beyond the odd gentle reminder and gritting his teeth, but he’s slowly getting to the end of his tether. He’ll admit that one of his flaws is probably being a little too house-proud, but reasons with himself that he’s not asking much. Okay, so he gets a little stressed about it sometimes, but who wouldn’t, especially when he questioned Danny on this very thing that morning before work.

“I’ll do it when we come back, promise,” he said with a grin and offering Ryan a kiss.

Sighing now, two hours since they’ve been at home, he’s holding the first plate when he hears Danny’s voice in the doorway. “Whoa, it’s crowded in ‘ere,” he jokes. He comes up behind Ryan to touch his shoulder. “I said I’d do that.”

He squirms away, jaw clenched and not looking at him. “It’s fine.”

“What would I do without you, eh?”

He kisses Ryan’s cheek before he can dodge him and walks over to the fridge. “Die of E-coli, probably,” he mutters under his breath, struggling now that Danny’s unwittingly poked the tidy bear living in his head. He’s not expecting Danny to hear him.

“What?”

“Nothing!” Ryan tries brightly, scrubbing at a bowl more vigorously to focus his mind on not being snappy. “Bottom shelf is the leftovers.”

The fridge door closes solidly. “What _is_ the matter with you?”

“Me?” Ryan looks sharply over his shoulder. “I should be asking you the same question,”

“You’ve been off all day. Not enough for work to notice, but babe, I’m not work.”

Danny’s voice has softened and so has Ryan’s resolve to letting him get away with this for the sake of a quiet life. It’s only been a month since Danny moved in and he doesn’t want to ruin this. They’ve got a good thing going, they’re pretty perfect for each other actually, but it’s frustrating that Danny doesn’t seem to understand and he’s not sure how much more he can take, so out it comes.

“I reminded you this morning to do the dishes.”

“Yeah, and?” he shrugs. “It’s just the dishes.”

Putting the next clean item onto the draining board to dry, Ryan pulls off the rubber gloves and smacks them down beside the sink. “But it’s not though, is it? It’s the wet towels left on the bathroom floor and not tidying up after the dogs have had their dinner and it’s barely doing any housework at all and - ” He can see Danny blinking at him, largely clueless, and now he can’t stop, he has to have it out with him and see this through. “I can’t keep doing this, Dan. It’s driving me mad. I’m your boyfriend, not your mum,”

“I know that,” he mutters sullenly, “You don’t need to nag. I’m 26, not 6,”

It rubs Ryan up the wrong way and he’s not entirely sure why, just as shocked as Danny when he yells, “Fucking act like it then!”

Danny’s eyes narrow. “No, _you_ can fuck off!” he spits back.

He hates the silence that follows and sidesteps Danny reaching for his arm in seconds, the fight gone out of him but the pull of wanting to take himself out of the situation now that he’s said his piece, in case he’s already said too much, is too strong. He feels like he needs to get out of the house completely. It’s a ridiculous argument to have, but his real feelings are all tied up in it and he needs a release. Tommy happens to follow him into the hallway and although it’s a bit of an inconvenience, he shrugs on his jacket (the one that’s the same as Robert’s, the sentimental fool he is) then picks up his dog.

Danny hurries after him, hearing the front door open. “Where’re you going?”

“Out.”

“Ryan? Wait.” He ignores him. “Ryan, please! I’m sorry!”

He lets the door slam in his wake. Standing out in the cold with Tommy tucked under his arm, he feels instantly wretched, but not enough to go back inside so he takes his car keys out of his pocket.

His mum is understandably surprised to see him on an unscheduled visit at 9 o'clock on a weeknight and even moreso that Tommy is with him. Dexter, her cocker spaniel, is a little more subdued in the evenings after his long walks, so Ryan lets Tommy run off whilst his mum sits him down to get him to deal with what’s bothering him. He knew she would and it’s maybe subconsciously why he ended up here. He tells her everything whilst his phone pings with message after message.

_Ryan come on_

_Hey you know I didn’t mean it_

_RYAN_

_FOR GOD’S SAKE I HATE WHEN YOU DO THIS_

_I’m sorry x_

_You’re worrying me now…_

_Just tell me you’re okay. please._

His mum is peering over his shoulder when he looks at her again, after ten minutes of messages have gone by. “Ryan Alexander, if you don’t answer your damn phone to that boy, I’m going to do it myself!” she says sternly, nodding fervently and completely over-egging the threat.

“Oi, who’s side are you on?” he chuckles, feeling lighter since offloading his frustrations properly, in full. There’s a lesson in there somewhere.

“Always yours, sweetheart,” she indulges him, cupping his chin, “except for when you’re being an idiot. Go home to your boyfriend.” She looks suddenly wistful. “Oh, Steve and I used to have some right barneys over _everything_. Pretty sure it was only so we could do the making up. Gosh, it was so passionate,”

“Mum!” he cries, torn between embarrassment and laughter, but figuring that’s his cue to leave and be mature about this. “Fine, I’m leaving. Thanks for the chat.”

“Darling, any time.” She kisses both his cheeks, the multiple rings on her hands cold against his skin. “Especially when the old man’s on a night-shift, eh?”

“You should have dinner with us next week,” he offers, feeling warm at including Danny, even when he’s mad at him. His anger has faded to almost nothing and he hopes it’ll be completely gone by the time he gets back home. They look towards where Tommy is bothering Dexter as he lounges in his bed and Ryan looks sidelong at his mum. “Maybe leave him here though, give him a break,” he jokes before calling his dog over. “Tommy, leave Dex alone! Come on, we’re going home!”

He likes to think that Tommy’s ears prick up at that, but it might just be his imagination. Either way, if his own ears could show his relief at being back home he’s sure they would. Instead, he sheepishly shuffles into the living room where Danny is curled up on the sofa, head on the armrest and his jumper pulled over his hands. He puts Tommy down on the floor, letting him go first into the room to test the waters then bites the bullet and clears his throat. He’d sent Danny a reply at last sat in his car outside his mum’s, a simple _I’m coming home x_ and is now worried it wasn’t enough.

“Anything good on?” he tries, grimacing at the lame opener, as he gestures to the flickering TV.

“No.” Danny sighs, sitting upright. He looks up at Ryan stood beside the sofa, hands in the pockets of his jeans and stance awkward. “I’m sorry I told you to fuck off,”

Ryan snorts. “S'alright. I’m sorry I compared myself to your mum. She’s a better woman than I’ll ever be.” It has the desired effect of making Danny laugh and he briefly goes back into the hallway to hang up his jacket and smoothly take his seat next to Danny on the sofa. “Can I kiss you?” he asks softly, suddenly desperate to let him know what he means to him.

He nods and they spend a good minute exploring, _apologising_ , pouring everything into the slow movements of their lips that they keep chaste, despite Ryan’s mum’s terrible words about ‘making up’ running through his head. There’ll be time for that later. First they have to make some promises to each other.

For Ryan to promise he won’t leave in the middle of a debate (“Argument.” Danny corrects, grinning. “Alright, call it what you want.”).

For Danny to share a little bit of pride in the place that’s his home now too.

For Ryan to be less intense about his neat and tidy ways.

For Danny not to say things that might not be so easily taken back and forgiven.

For _them_ to communicate fully more often.

Living together is a big commitment and an even bigger change and this might’ve been the realisation of that, but if anyone can make it work, they can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


	3. Attention Seeker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by Anon - _When Ryan's deep in thought reading in bed, how does Danny get his attention back on him...;)_

As Ryan’s getting ready for bed, he hears the shower running in their en-suite bathroom. He’d just assumed that Danny was going to brush his teeth and come back, but Britain has been in the grip of an unusual heatwave for a week now, even for the middle of August, so he can hardly blame him for wanting to get clean of the daily sweat and grime and also cool down before sleep. It’s a hazard of living in a country in houses not quipped with air conditioning, but if it means that he gets Danny parading in a towel for a couple of seconds he’s not going to complain too much. Deciding to stay awake for it, Ryan props his pillow against the headboard and sits up, reaching for the book on his bedside table. He’s currently at the climax of his re-read of _Carrie_ , the book probably responsible for his most creative, visceral dreams as of late. Just the other day, he’d been telling Danny as they sat in the makeup room at work how he’d dreamt he’d had similar powers of telekinesis to Carrie.

“But you’re clumsy with it, right?”

Ryan blinked at him. “How did you guess?” Danny’s pointed look had made them both break into giggles.

Halfway through Carrie venturing out of the burning high school on prom night, Ryan distantly hears the shower shut off. He’s so engrossed in her power, her anger, her fear that he doesn’t notice Danny coming into the room until wetness drips suddenly onto his feet. He’s sitting on top of the sheets in just his boxers because it’s still too warm to move underneath, the fan stood on the chair in the corner circulating stale air, and flinches when Danny shakes his head from side to side like an exciteable dog, water sprinkling everywhere and no doubt wet footprints across the hardwood floor.

“Danny,” he warns, already back to reading and an edge of laughter to his voice, “cut it out.”

“I’m just cooling you down, babe,” he reasons, his grin unseen but Ryan can easily imagine it from his tone.

Ryan settles his hand behind his head, holding the book steady with the other. “Well, thanks but no thanks,”

He hears the familiar sound of drawers opening and closing and then the bed dips with added weight and a kiss dropped to his bare knee. His leg twitches at the unexpected affection as Danny nuzzles his softly bristled face against such a sensitive area, his presence moving until he’s sat on Ryan’s thighs. With a sigh, Ryan looks over his book to admonish his antics but his breath catches in his throat as instead of Danny’s eyes staring back at him, he is facing away from Ryan, torso leaning over his legs and still only the towel secured around his waist.

Perhaps feeling the tension in his body, Danny looks over his shoulder. “Keep reading,” he says gruffly, eyes sparkling.

Ryan swallows hard, anticipating, but tries it anyway to see what Danny has in mind. Now when he focuses on the book, the sentences don’t mean anything and the letters are jumbled. He can’t concentrate as Danny’s breath falls over his shins, across his ankles and stops at the middle of his foot.

“What’re you doing?” he gasps when Danny’s tongue draws a leisurely line down the top of his left foot, halting at his toes.

He feels Danny’s answering chuckle on his skin and flicks quickly through the book for a part he knows has captivated him over and over as his cock swells, keen to play along. Hand dropped down to his neck, he squeezes and his back arches as Danny curls his tongue around his second toe and _sucks_. He narrowly misses hitting Danny with the book and throws it onto the floor at the last minute, the thud loud in the quiet of the room. He feels the vibrations of Danny’s encouraging moan and shivers, his leg tingling in all the places Danny’s mouth touches as he leaves his toes to shuffle backwards, planting kisses on Ryan’s knees and cheekily biting his thigh. Once he’s close enough to properly touch, Ryan puts his palm on Danny’s arse, tugging demandingly at the towel.

“If you wanted my attention, you could’ve just said,” he points out breathlessly, opening his eyes as Danny undoes the knot to the towel to reveal his body.

Ryan’s hands immediately, greedily, feel him out as Danny’s lips hover enticingly over his cock and he groans, full of want, as his thumb catches Danny’s hole and he realises why he was able to read so much of his book tonight in the first place. “Where’s the fun in that?” Danny finally answers, all too knowing of what Ryan’s found.

He strips Ryan of his boxers with swift, nimble hands, pushing them down around his thighs, trapping him a little as he enjoys his first taste of his hardness, even if Ryan can’t help it as his hips buck and his thumb tucks into Danny’s lubed arse. Slick hands trace his shins as Danny sucks him off, exploring the idea that it’s another area hardwired to his cock, goosebumps erupting as Danny plays his body like a fiddle, uncovering kinks he didn’t even know either of them had. 

He fingers Danny more eagerly, aching to be inside him and is debating flipping him over to do just that when Danny raises onto all fours himself, noisily letting his cock slip from the warmth of his mouth. Before Ryan can question it, he uses the space of his spread legs to take hold of Ryan’s cock again, pumping him much quicker with the aid of his spit. Determined to wank him off at the awkward angle, he leans his upper body towards the bed and Ryan’s legs, running his tongue on the edge of his instep and up, up until his mouth can close around several of Ryan’s toes.

With the blowjob-turned-handjob and Danny sucking elsewhere, he lasts a couple of seconds before the tell-tale pull at his spine. “I’m gonna come!” he growls, gripping the sheets, trembling.

Undeterred, Danny doubles his efforts and soon Ryan’s making a mess of himself, shooting onto his thighs. He hears Danny’s gleeful laugh as he comes down from the high and despite his over-sensitivity, he puts his arms around Danny’s waist and drags him backwards, landing on top of him, his arse coming into contact with Ryan’s sticky crotch before he rolls them both onto their sides. There’s a hectic flush on Ryan’s face that’s spread pink onto his chest, hot and sweaty and uncomfortable with it, but happy post-orgasm.

“You’re mad,” he huffs, kissing Danny on his shoulder anyway.

“And dirty again now ‘cause of you,” he replies, but he’s grinning as he pulls his and Ryan’s joined hands to his erection. “C'mon, you can help me with this in the shower.”

Despite the heat and his sluggishness, Ryan’s doesn’t take much persuading.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


	4. Jealous of a New Colleague

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by Anon - _What about when a new guy starts at work, and Ryan's caught his attention and Danny gets jealous. They're not used to really flaunting their relationship at work bc people know but they also don't know, so when this new guy comes along and has scenes with Ryan and Ryan can't stop gushing about how great he is, Danny can't help that green eyed monster that comes out to play and Ryan says 'baby, don't be silly you know it's you and me forever' before placing a kiss on his forehead_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Might be one of my favourites so far. :p I like Charlie but I understand where Danny's coming from too...

They’re in Makeup, getting ready for a day’s filming and usually Danny jumps at the chance to hear Ryan tell one of his cute anecdotes that are often about the jobs he did in his 18 months away from acting, but he’s heard Charlie’s name and sort of accidentally-on-purpose zoned out. He feels a little bit guilty, but not enough to stop doing it because it’s been like this for weeks now. Charlie Stevens is the new guy at Emmerdale and normally Danny would be with everyone welcoming a new person to this ensemble family up North, but something about this one rubs him up the wrong way and, what’s more, Ryan is oblivious.

“ - So he asked if I minded him ad-libbing in scenes and I told him that we do it when we can. How sweet is it that he asked me first?” he smiles.

His eyes are closed as Alison sweeps a brush over his cheeks so he can’t see Danny rolling his eyes. “Yeah, sweet,” he answers flatly.

“Danny - ” he sighs, resigned to the fact that his boyfriend has already admitted to him that he’s not so keen on their current co-star and especially not when he has scenes with Ryan on location. From what he’s been told, Charlie’s character Simon Redfern is a contractor looking to strike a deal with Home James long-term, but he’s got secrets and an intriguing past. Ryan thinks he and Charlie just got off on the wrong foot because Danny casually asked him about football to make an effort and he said not only does he not watch football, _he can’t stand it_. Apparently he’s more the nerdy film buff type, which sounds slightly too narcissistic for Danny’s liking.

Ryan doesn’t get to say more as the door opens and the man in question shuffles in, dressed in a green hoodie that somehow makes his shock of messy ginger hair stand out and carrying a takeaway cup of coffee. His brown eyes sparkle behind the black thick frames of his glasses when he spots Danny and Ryan in front of him, although his eyes linger on Ryan unseen. By him anyway. Danny notices and his jaw clenches hard with not saying anything.

Alison chucks Ryan under the chin affectionately and he opens his eyes. “So am I camera ready to your standards?”

“Oh, absolutely!” she says before she pretends to sneer, “Y'know, your face actually offends me, darling,”

“Cheers,” he laughs and glances happily at Danny and for a second he can enjoy his boyfriend preening under worthy attention until Charlie drops heavily into the chair next to him.

“Ugh, I agree, Al!” he moans, turning his body towards Ryan, “How do you get to look like that and I look like I’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards? And all before my morning coffee too,”

Ryan looks up at Alison, pointing, “Did you pay him?”

“He’s being nice,” she tuts and Ryan grins because they all know he was joking and he leans across, palm outstretched to Charlie to let him smack it in a show of thanks. Danny thinks about making his excuses, but he selfishly doesn’t want to leave without Ryan, hoping he can give him a sneaky kiss before they officially have to have their work heads on and stop being them as a couple. Aaron and Robert might be together on the show, but they’re thankfully entirely different to how he and Ryan operate. 

So, he leans against the makeup table and pokes at his phone as Ryan chats to Charlie and Alison turns her attention to him. When she’s done, his glasses are gone to be replaced by contacts and his flattened hair is up in a quiff, giving him extra height he doesn’t need because he’s as tall as Ryan.

“Lanky streak of piss,” Danny grumbles under his breath, but feels his heart flip when Ryan glances at him like he heard. The last thing Danny wants to do is make this difficult for him. He knows he’s being rather unreasonable, but he can’t help it, not when he sees how Charlie is with him and the things he says.

“Can you leave them?” he hears Charlie ask Alison, peering into the brightly-lit mirror. “I like freckles, they give character.”

He winks - _winks!_ \- at Ryan in an exaggerated manner, to which he shakes his head like Charlie’s being silly in his flirtation and Danny clutches his phone tighter, grinding his teeth. It doesn’t matter that Danny agrees with him and that the compliment to Ryan is obvious and true or that Charlie’s abundance of freckles make him look younger until he’s put on his character’s suit and tie, it’s the principle of the thing. He’s the same age as Danny and building a rapport with Ryan and Danny’s not in denial that he’s jealous. He has that close working relationship with Ryan going on four years now and although they have more, it’s not enough to quiet his feelings. Is there such a thing as a four year itch?

Plenty of people know about them, it’s hard not to when they turn up to parties together, bring the dogs in to work sometimes and look at each other like the other hung the moon and the stars, but some still don’t as they’re either not friends or regular crew. As far as he knows, Charlie’s a temporary fixture and it feels uncomfortable to flaunt their relationship, particularly when Danny knows his motivation wouldn’t be totally innocent. What makes it worse is that he’s heard Charlie mention pulling girls or memories of past girlfriends, so he could be straight and just likes having a cheeky laugh. Danny has no idea whether Ryan’s told him about his sexuality and furthermore what the heck is going on with Danny’s.

 _You thought you were straight_ , a voice sniggers inside his head, taunting, _Until him_.

Meeting Ryan (at his audition, if he’s honest) changed everything and he wonders what if Charlie is simply caught up in his unwitting spell. Of course Danny trusts him, but he ain’t half dense when people take a shine to him. He still thinks the reason Maureen in the canteen keeps back his favourite muffin every week is because he helped her clear up a full tray of smashed plates one afternoon, not that she’s been telling Danny he’s got “a gorgeous fella” and if she was “30 years younger” she’d do god knows what.

“Mate, you should see the new Thor,” Charlie says, focused on Ryan but flicking a look to Danny at the last minute, “The graphics are sick!”

“Only if you come to that jazz night I was telling you about yesterday,”

Charlie pauses thoughtfully then offers his hand, “Alright, deal. C'mere!”

What starts as a handshake veers into a hug and Danny raises his eyebrows before consciously smoothing out his expression when Charlie turns Ryan’s chair towards Danny so that he can lean his arms on the back of it. “What d'ya say?”

“Me?”

“Well, yeah,” he shrugs, “You and this one are joined at the hip, right?” He smiles and Danny’s eyes narrow as Ryan grabs him around the neck, “Not the hair, Hawley, or I swear to god!”

“You’ll have me to answer to,” Alison reminds them from where she’s getting her tools ready to welcome some of the ladies to the room.

“Ryan?” Danny gestures to the door with his head, “Can I have a word, please? In private.”

Standing in the corridor isn’t exactly privacy at its finest, but at least it gets him away from Charlie as he wasn’t sure how much more he could take. He can’t work him out and it’s slowly driving him insane. He could come out with it, shoot from the hip like _Are you trying to get into my boyfriend’s pants?_ or _Do you really think he would fancy you?_ when he’s feeling particularly mean, but Ryan’s concern for him is distracting.

__“What’s wrong?” he asks the second the door has shut behind him and they’re alone. He steps closer to Danny and drops his voice to something softer. Danny’s spent so long calling it his Soft Aaron Voice that he hadn’t realised for such a stupid long time that he was using it way before 2016 on him. “Baby, I know something’s bothering you.”_ _

__He looks into Ryan’s eyes and feels his hands on his waist, warm and strong and he reaches to cup his face between his palms, the reverse of what usually happens when they kiss. There’s a hitch of breath from him and Danny lunges, capturing Ryan’s mouth hard and then over and over until their lips are tingling and they’re both breathless from the sudden flare of passion. Ryan opens his mouth, still worried and if there’s anything Danny can’t take, it’s him tying himself in knots because of Danny’s wacky, green-eyed monstrous behaviour._ _

__“Charlie wants to fuck you,” he blurts out and winces at the way Ryan’s eyes widen in shock, “I mean - I didn’t mean to make it sound so – it’s just – I think he fancies you and I can’t even blame him for that,”_ _

__Suddenly, Ryan’s face drops into fondness and he feels wrong-footed. He thought he would be irritated that Danny hasn’t let this go yet, but he seems to be taking it all in his stride. When he thinks about it, that’s typical Ryan. “So what?” he retorts, rubbing a big hand comfortingly up and down Danny’s spine. “You trust me - “_ _

__“110%,” he jumps in eagerly, desperate to show that it’s barely about Ryan anymore, it’s his issue with someone else and yet - “But that’s how we started,” he sighs, shoulders sagging and Ryan almost ready to hold him up now that they’re really getting to the crux of the matter._ _

__“Whether he likes you or not, you’re working together a lot and I don’t want to lose you,”_ _

__“Oh, Danny.” Ryan squeezes his waist and drops a tender kiss to his forehead. “Baby, come on. That’s not gonna happen. I’m not an idiot like Robert. It’s you and me forever.”_ _

__Danny nuzzles the edge of his jaw to Ryan’s and falls into his arms, hugging him back. He’s allayed his fears, satisfying them that he’s worrying over nothing. He kisses Ryan’s shoulder. “Can you at least find my stupid jealousy a little bit hot?” he asks, muffled._ _

__“No, but I’ll kiss you again anyway,” he beams, lifting Danny’s chin to plant a gentle one on him, his tongue flicking against his lips as he silently wants more. Danny happily gives away, moaning low in his throat before the rattle of the door handle makes him spring backwards from Ryan’s grip. His boyfriend is slightly dazed from the sharp turn of events, but he’s also a professional and he goes along with it as convincingly as he can, space between them as Charlie steps out. Fiona and Bhasker pass from the corridor into the makeup room, cutting between the three of them and the curious tension until Danny nods at him tightly._ _

__“Alright?”_ _

__“Yeah, are you?”_ _

__Danny looks at Ryan. “Just had to go through some things about our first scene, didn’t we? _Concerns_ I had. All sorted now.”_ _

__He sees something flash and then dim in Charlie’s eyes at the emphasis, like disappointment that he covers up well but not well enough, and Danny’s still not totally sold._ _

__He trusts Ryan with his life. Charlie Stevens is another story._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


	5. Ryan Catches Pneumonia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by Anon - _What about if Ryan is sick and Danny's trying to look after him, but Ryan isn't having any of it bc like he's 31 damn it and he doesn't need looking after, but when it gets really bad danny forces him to stay in bed to recover 'babe, you've gotta stop pushing yourself'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly based on having pneumonia when I was 13. I stayed in hospital for 3 weeks lol.

Like many things in life, it starts small. One day, Ryan wakes up feeling a little under the weather because of a sore throat. He thinks nothing of it and tries to go about his day as normal, even though he’s filming on location at the village. He keeps a bottle of water in his line of sight as something dry and scratchy attacks him in between scenes when he lets it, until it’s making him want to cough. Soon, he can’t help it, coughing into his fist halfway through the camera trained on Danny and it forcing the crew to do another take. Danny is watchful, but says nothing of what he desperately wants to say as it’s hard to keep track of who in the crew knows about their romance and who doesn’t. Ryan is aware of his pointed looks shrouded in silent concern and somehow that makes him feel even more embarrassed, just wanting to get on with his job when they have such a lot to finish.

Two days later, he hasn’t got the cold he was dreading and expecting. Instead, his voice has started to go croaky at intermittent times and whatever it is has migrated to his chest. They’re at the studios now and the closed space makes it sound worse, his cough wracking his body as he tries to disguise it’s power and volume. When he’s lying in bed next to Danny that night, rolled onto his side to try and ease the discomfort and not cuddled up to his boyfriend like he wants to, Danny suggests he goes to the doctor.

“Don’t be daft,” he says, breath wheezing from him, “it’s just a cold,”

“Why aren’t you sneezing then?” Danny snaps.

“S'not that kind of cold.”

The weekend follows and Danny makes breakfast for them both, bringing it up to their bedroom before Ryan can protest. He knows what he’s doing and whilst he’s touched and he’s grateful, he also thinks it’s unnecessary. He’s always been the type to keep going regardless of illness because it’s nothing, it’s not like it’s going to kill him. Still, they eat and he kisses Danny chastely in thanks then sinks into Danny’s touch to his waist, turning towards him for more before the cough returns.

“It’s just crumbs,” he chokes on every word, working hard to breathe through it in between gulps of water.

He moves to carry on what they’re doing but Danny puts his hand to his bare chest. “You must be joking.”

“What?”

“I’m not having sex with you when you’re like this, Ryan,”

“You weren’t saying that two minutes ago,” he sighs, nodding to Danny noticeably excited underneath the sheets. Danny stares at him and it clicks. “Unless this was a test.”

“Two minutes ago, you weren’t coughing and struggling to breathe, babe,”

“Oh so _now_ I’m babe again?” He smiles slightly to show there’s no heat in his words, hoping to break Danny out of the worry etched into his face and shaking his head when it doesn’t. “I’m 31 and I don’t need looking after. Not by a doctor or by you. Thank you, but no,”

Figuring the mood is well and truly ruined, he gets out of bed and heads for a shower, planning to be more productive with his day and it works because he’s not doing much physically, but all that changes on Monday when he’s in work and someone asks him to help move some boxes. The actors aren’t in the habit of doing tasks for other people, but the runner looks harried and Ryan thinks he’s a decent enough person not to add to their stresses. Two boxes in, they’re heavier than he thought they’d be and he strains to keep going, putting another down in the same spot in one of the offices and taking a breather.

So what if his definition of breather is hands on his knees as he wheezy coughs and his heart is going like the clappers. The runner looks shocked.

“Are you alright? Should I get someone?”

He waves away the idea. “I’m fine, it’ll pass,” he chokes, as he feels his face heat up. He can’t tell whether it’s embarrassment again or a high temperature, but the runner disappears and he suddenly has no energy to go after them. He’s sat on the nearest chair and gently rubbing his chest when Danny runs in and Ryan groans in defeat. “What’re you doing here?”

“I was in the dressing room, checking my phone because you never answered my text ten minutes ago when Ty found me and told me something was up,” he says, eyes stormy with anger. He comes towards Ryan and puts his hand on his knee before looking over his shoulder at the runner. “Can you find Patricia from Admin and tell her I’m taking Ryan to hospital,”

“No, Danny, don’t - ”

He swivels to look at him. “Don’t argue with me anymore, thank you. Or do you want me to call an ambulance instead?” Ryan shakes his head, his chest seizing. With rapid, shallow breathing and a head too warm and fuzzy, he finally gives up. His shoulders sag and Danny puts his hand to the nape of his neck. He’s still wearing Aaron’s wedding ring, the metal contrasting with his skin, and he presses his forehead to Ryan’s. He squirms away irritably and Danny squeezes his neck with a sigh.

“Babe, you’ve gotta stop pushing yourself,”

“I didn’t want to let anyone down,” he admits, miserable as he succumbs to his illness. “Sorry.”

“Alright. Let’s get you to a doctor, yeah?”

Making it to A&E, Danny explains to the receptionist what’s wrong because it’s now an effort for Ryan to speak. The room is luckily quite empty when they arrive, but he’s still surprised when a nurse calls his name not even 10 minutes later. Danny lets him get assessed by himself, trying not to hover and be clingy, but he’s there when the doctor on call trails the nurse into the cubicle. With pleasantries out of the way, the doctor examines Ryan with the nurse giving him any extra information then takes a step back.

“Okay, Ryan. I’m going to send you for an X-ray on your chest.”

“An X-ray?” Danny pipes up immediately, “What’s wrong with him? Is it serious?”

“That’s what we’re trying to find out.” the doctor says reasonably. He addresses Ryan again. “I’m concerned about your difficulty breathing and your high temperature, plus how long you’ve been like this, so I’m going to put you on some oxygen to ease it for now, just until we’ve got a better idea what we’re dealing with here.”

Ryan has to admit that the oxygen helps, greedily taking it in as Danny sits and twiddles his thumbs. When his leg starts twitching, Ryan grabs his hand whilst they’re alone. “Sorry,” he repeats, voice muffled behind the mask. “But I’m gonna be fine.”

Danny squeezes his hand tight. “You better be.”

\---

Danny’s mouth drops open. “Pneumonia? Oh god.”

“With the timescale you’ve given, it’s likely that it developed from an untreated chest infection.” the doctor explains, looking between him and Ryan. “We’ll start you on antibiotics immediately and get you transferred to a ward as soon as possible.”

He smiles slightly and leaves them to process the diagnosis. Ryan breathes in deep then pulls the mask to his chin to speak but Danny grips his shoulder and kisses his temple.

“You silly man.”

“I didn’t – I didn’t know – did I?” he huffs a laugh, wheezing.

“No, s'pose not.” Danny offers reluctantly. “Maybe listen to me next time I say you should go to the doctor.”

“Never.” Ryan jokes.

He lies back on the half upright bed, determined to get better as quick as he can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


	6. Danny is Jealous Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by Anon - _I'm sure you have like a million of these but I have been wondering this for a while...who do you think is the jealous type -- Danny or Ryan? And I mean jealous more in a lowkey way. Like who might get a tiny bit possessive if say because they are keeping their relationship under wraps, someone is flirting with one of them, and I mean flirting with INTENT, and the other one can't really do anything. Which one do you think is more likely and what would they do in reaction?_

They’re at a little work shindig in a restaurant and bar and someone he vaguely remembers seeing once or twice with a crew member, a friend perhaps, has been talking to Ryan as he’s getting the drinks in and Danny’s waiting, watching, stewing. And that’s all it is - talking, with some casual flirty touching and it’s that which makes his leg twitch like he wants to go over there and as politely as possible stand between them. It’d be the equivalent of a cat pissing to mark its territory and he’s self-aware enough that he doesn’t want to embarrass himself like that or make it weird for the woman or Ryan. So, he stays put and sees how she touches Ryan’s elbow, smiling. He’s taking it in his stride, although when she squeezes his arm he notices him take a step back. He’s cottoned on and she’s giving him the come hither eyes.

Instead of marching over there, Danny easily gets up from his seat with the pretense of teasing Ryan that he’s gasping for his drink, damn it, but as he gets close enough he hears Ryan knocking her back.

“I’m seeing someone.”

“Yeah? That’s alright.”

They blink at each other and Ryan catches sight of Danny almost behind her shoulder and he clears his throat. “No, I mean - I’m serious about h-them. Sorry to disappoint.”

Her face smooths out from confusion and she stands up straight again, no longer in seduction mode. “Well, can’t blame a lady for trying. They’re a lucky person. Nice meeting you.”

She slinks away and Danny sidles up to Ryan as he blows out a relieved breath. “That could’ve gone a lot worse.”

“Hm, yeah,” Danny echoes, but he’s distracted and he spots the fire exit to the side of them.

Ryan follows his gaze, but in a split second Danny’s tapping him on the shoulder, told him to “Come on” and then left their drinks to walk towards it. He feels Ryan behind him and they duck outside really quick, closing the door because they’re not supposed to go out that way. Danny’s on him immediately, Ryan’s back hits the nearby wall and he’s got an armful of secret boyfriend and Danny’s mouth pressed hard to his. He softens the kiss, cups his bearded jaw and lets Danny work out all the pent up energy until they run out of oxygen and he has to pull away.

“What was that for?” Ryan asks, even though he’s got a pretty good idea.

Danny rests their foreheads together, breathing hard and squeezes his waist, hands under Ryan’s jacket. “It was this or pissing on you in front of her.” He frowns at hearing that, but Danny shakes his head. “Doesn’t matter. Shall we go? I’m sure no one will notice…”

“You want to leave already?”

“Yeah, the drinks were nice but…” Danny lets his hand drift to Ryan’s belt and he wraps his fingers around it, tugging suggestively with their lips back to within an inch apart, “…you’re more important. You’re mine. I wanna show you…”

He can tell Ryan’s still overwhelmed by his sudden possessiveness but Danny’s helpless to stop it and if it means it’ll get Ryan under him, over him, with him then he’s not going to do or say otherwise. Forget the flirty lady, it’s all about them now. Just like it should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


	7. Danny's on a Stag Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by Anon - Okaaay we need to talk about Danny going on hols with his pals and leaving Ryan behind and how reluctant he is?? Bc it's the first real stretch since they got together that Danny won't be with him 24/7 and he's been drinking since 5am and Ryan's getting bombarded with texts and snaps late night phone calls 'baby busy enjoy your time with your friends it's four days' and Danny tuts before muttering 'yeah but it's four days without you and I know I've gone longer.m but you're be love of my life'

Ryan gets the first text at 5am but he ignores it because Danny is no longer in their bed and he promises himself to look at it later when he’s feeling more with it. He rolls over and falls back to sleep even though it’s strange that Danny is not only awake, but already on the way to the airport for his friend Chris’ stag do that’s more a four-day holiday break to Benidorm with all his mates. He’d mumbled something last night in a post-coital haze that Danny could contact him whenever he wanted to as he knew Danny was a little reluctant to leave Ryan behind, but he didn’t think he’d take him up on the offer so ardently and so soon since he left.

At 7am and after simply dozing for a while, Ryan lets Tommy and Lola into the bedroom and reaches for his phone to see the damage. He breathes out when he sees that his notifications aren’t as crazy as he thought they might be and he smiles when he goes into his texts to see Danny’s name. It’s a silly little thing where they have each other listed as their full names because everyone always expects them to have cute or embarrassing nicknames. They do, but they’re not about to put that shit on their phones where anyone could good-naturedly grab it and see it.

**Danny Miller**  
_Get on the beers, son!_

The first one has a picture attached and Ryan shakes his head, fond. It looks like Danny and the party of lads are starting as they mean to go on and probably some of them have rallied around Danny to pull him from loved up boyfriend mode and into guy ready for a good time. The next few feel like a Snapchat story in themselves (he has some of that to look through too) as their airport antics are documented on their journey to the Spanish resort and as they arrive at their hotel.

 

**Danny Miller**  
_Ya think he’d know not to fall asleep on a plane…_

**Danny Miller**  
_Simon’s the worst_

**Danny Miller**  
_I MEAN SIMON’S THE BEST I SWEAR!!! UR MY WITNESS!! HELP_

 

Ryan stop scrolling to laugh at that one, imagining Danny’s personal trainer showing him who’s boss and probably threatening allsorts for when they get back into the gym. Ryan texts back promising to back Danny up as long as Simon doesn’t come after him and he’s surprised at Danny’s almost instant reply, like he’s been waiting for Ryan’s reactions to everything.

 

**Danny Miller**  
_You could take him_

 

He plays along as he finally gets out of bed to start on breakfast before he has to get a move on and leave for work. Unlike some lucky people.

 

**Ryan Hawley**  
_Take him where? ;)_

**Danny Miller**  
_Over your shoulder. He’s shorter than you, it’d be piss easy_

**Ryan Hawley**  
_Over my shoulder you say? Not my knee?_

**Danny Miller**  
_Don’t be kinky when I can’t see you :(((( It makes me miss you more_

 

“Soft idiot,” he mutters aloud to himself, pouring a coffee.

He fires off a quick reply that he won’t say anything else like that and is glad for the distraction that work brings. It means he won’t know if Danny updates him again until he’s done for the day. He’s happy for him, that he’s enjoying himself, when he finds no more messages from him that night. It continues in the same vein over the next two days, texts make Ryan smile more - _Shorts ready, sunnies on, ready to torture C for thinking he’d get off lightly with us lot! Hotel looks sick!_ \- and pictures or videos that make him properly laugh - _I’m such a fkin awkward model_ – including a memorable Snapchat of Danny being bench-pressed like he weighs next to nothing.

On the third day of the break, Danny actually rings him and Ryan can’t resist the opportunity to tease. “How’s your back?”

“Don’t you mean ‘how’s your head’?”

“Not unless the guys have been using your head as a football as well. No, I mean how’s your back after you offered yourself up for human weight-lifting?”

“Oh ha ha,” Danny replies, heavily sarcastic, “I was bullied into it and obviously Simon filmed it because HE’S A DICK!” Ryan pulls his phone from his ear with a grimace then hears Danny yelp, breathe hard and the sound of a door slam follow. “I miss you y'know,” he pouts, before Ryan can question what’s going on.

“It’s four days, baby. Enjoy time with your friends, give Chris hell.”

“Yeah, but it’s four days without you and I know I’ve gone longer, but it’s just - it’s not the same.”

“Take Snapchat away from Simon and I might come on the next one,” Ryan jokes to stop feeling how earnest Danny is, sitting back against the headboard of their bed. The dogs are downstairs having their dinner, so he’s not got company. He listens to him taking in the suggestion, even though they both know Ryan’s not the ‘lads holiday’ type (not anymore at least…), and him breathing down the line and that compels him to ask. “Are you alone?”

“I am now.” he says cheekily, “I locked myself in the bathroom after calling Simon a dick,”

That explains the sudden noise then. Ryan drops his voice, quieter, lower. “Can I be kinky?”

“You’ve never been kinky in your life!” Danny snorts, “I was joking in my text.”

“Ah, but you still can’t see me. What if I’m, I don’t know, touching myself as I talk to you?”

“Yeah?” he breathes, falling for it. “That’d be fucking great.” Wondering what to say next, Ryan lets his hand not holding his phone drift from his lap to drag the hem of his t-shirt up a little to expose his stomach. He’s deliberately avoided his cock and feels out his covered chest, imagining Danny’s nimble fingers tracing the same paths, pinching at his nipples until they’re as hard as his erection. He feels himself stir because thinking of Danny and not being able to immediately touch him like usual is a special kind of torture and he’s not sure if switching to FaceTime will make things better or worst. His hand is near to the waistband of his sweatpants when Danny sighs. “Y'know, if ya wanna have phone sex with me, you’re gonna have to tell me what you’re doing.”

“Sorry,” he chuckles, embarrassed, “I miss you too, truthfully. Wish you were here.”

“Are you hard?” Ryan manages a non-committal sound. “Okay, get your hand in there. Rub your dick. Need ya hard so my mouth can work you over. You want that, yeah?”

He groans, helped by Danny’s voice and words to take him from a fairly interested semi to fully loaded from his touch and whatever his head deems dirty enough to think about, reminded of Danny in his shorts in the sunlight, bending him over a sun-lounger and using his rock hard cock to fuck him senseless. Hand wrapped around himself, he strokes from base to tip with a twist and quickly gets into his stride.

“Or should I do your arse instead?” he asks as Ryan thinks yeah, fuck me, his hand speeding up, but Danny keeps fucking talking in whispers. “Get my face right in there, make you fucking come 'cause of my tongue – taste you – miss you so much,”

“Yeah, Dan – anything, baby – miss you too,”

“We’re pathetic,” he giggles through it, “oh god, that’s good,”

“I’m gonna come,” Ryan warns instead, Danny taking the reigns pushing him to the edge.

Danny’s still thinking of another creative promise when Ryan feels the pull is too strong and in the midst of making sure to at least come on the bare skin of his stomach so the clean up is easier, he accidentally drops his phone. He retrieves it to hear Danny’s muffled moan, aware that he doesn’t have the same luxury as Ryan of being truly alone. Instead, he’s locked himself in the bathroom on a stag do holiday to have phone sex with his absent boyfriend.

“One more sleep.” Ryan reminds him softly. “I’m taking tomorrow off, I’ll pick you up from the airport and then - ” He bites his lip, spent cock giving a feeble jerk - “then we’re going to come back here and do whatever you want.”

“Yeah, that helps.” he breathes out slowly. “Bed all day, staying right where I can see you.”

Ryan smiles. “Sounds good to me.”

Despite their little moment here, he knows neither of them can wait, determined as they are to make up for lost time. After all, there’s a lot you can do in four days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


	8. Ryan Comes Home to Danny And Rémi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by Anon - _Can we dabble into your newest fic right and if Danny and Ryan had a baby, what do you think Ryan's reaction would be when he walks in one chilly afternoon and Danny has the fire on and their baby his arms giving her the milk and he's whispering to her softly and like Ryan's just filled with love and obvs forehead kisses but that's my Achilles heels_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt anon said “had a baby” and apparently I can only think in terms of Rémi when I’m thinking dryan + babies, so I guess this is a future ficlet to go with [in the middle of a chain reaction](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9873200/chapters/22147766) (Ryan!mpreg 'verse) :)

Bone-chillingly cold January air blows into the hallway as Ryan shuts the front door behind him with a grateful sigh. After a morning of running errands, he’d had a meeting at the studios to discuss when he could return to work. It was looking like it’d still be a few months away yet and he wanted to enjoy them as much as he could because babies notoriously grow up within the blink of an eye, but he couldn’t deny that he was also looking forward to getting back to being Ryan Hawley, the actor and not just Daddy 24/7. Danny was already filming 12 hours a day again, but they’d swapped roles today so that Ryan could focus on himself and not worry about Rémi with him.

As he hangs his coat up, he expects to hear the TV on some kids’ show she can’t figure out yet or happy music blaring but there’s none of that. Half of him wonders whether his daughter is having a nap and Danny’s joined her, whilst the other half makes his heart pound nervously. He opens the door to the living room to find out and feels his expression drop into fondness as there, sat in the armchair nearest the fire, is Danny with Rémi tucked close to his body as she enjoys an afternoon feed. Either he didn’t hear Ryan come in or he’s decided to not pay him any mind because his attention is entirely fixed on his five-month old daughter drinking her milk and staring up at him with her lovely earnest eyes.

“You’re a hungry girl, are you?” he teases softly, tipping the bottle at an angle to give her more, “Are you gonna grow up to be big and strong like your daddies? Well, you can’t live on milky forever,”

Ryan chooses that moment to move towards him, giving Danny a kiss on the forehead hello and touching the soft dark crown of Rémi’s head so he doesn’t disturb her too much. “Hi, sweetheart.”

“Hi honey,” Danny jokes, smiling up at him cheekily.

Ryan manages to perch on the arm of the chair carefully because he’s rather tired from the busy morning and he needs to be close to his family right now. “I was talking to our kid,”

“What’s my petname then?”

“You know, baby.” he answers, dropping his voice low.

Danny tips his chin at him and Ryan obliges with a proper kiss to his lips, making him murmur in contentment. Chaste as it is, it’s still slightly odd to have loud, enthusiastic suckling as background noise and they’re further interrupted from trading chaste kisses by a strange gurgle. Ryan pulls away immediately and gets to his feet, pushing Rémi upright with a gentle hand to her back as Danny takes the bottle from her mouth just before she starts to cough. It’s a lucky moment that she keeps most of the milk down but Ryan shakes his head anyway.

“Take your time!” he sighs, knowing that she won’t understand, “You really would have the whole thing in one go if we let you, wouldn’t you?” As he crouches in front of Danny’s knees and the coughing subsides, she blinks at him then smiles. Ryan wipes her messy mouth with his thumb, giving him another smile, and strokes her soft chubby cheek. “Hello, yes, Daddy’s home. You just noticed, didn’t you? Have you had fun?”

“Well, it’s certainly been…an adventure,” Danny chuckles, shifting her on his lap to the crook of his arm again to let her finish the milk.

Sensing what’s is missing, Ryan reaches for the nearest cushion on the sofa. “Here,” he says, about to put it between Danny’s arm and the chair.

“I don’t need it. I have fed her before y'know.”

He snorts, “Trust me, your arm’s gonna feel like it’ll fall off in the next two minutes if you don’t put something under it. She’s getting heavy,”

No further argument, Danny lets him make the adjustment and he glances up when Rémi’s distracted, her hand clamped around two of Danny’s fingers as he holds the bottle. “Alright, fine, that’s a good idea.”

“Aren’t I a good boyfriend, letting you learn from my mistakes?” he grins, taking the opportunity with Danny having his hands literally full to run them through his untamed curls.

He’s surprised when Danny flinches a little. “Your hands are freezing!” he whines, cooing at his daughter just in case his sudden movement spooked her.

“Sorry, sir,” Ryan says flippantly and cups his hands together and blows to try warming them up before he remembers the fire. He stands there for a while showing the heat his palms as winter clings to him and is all too aware when Danny seems quiet. He looks towards him to check and catches how his gaze lifts quickly from to Ryan’s arse to his face and he huffs a laugh. “Shut up!”

“I haven’t said anything!” he protests half-heartedly in a whisper. “Although you can’t blame me when we haven’t y'know,” he pushes his tongue into his cheek for the insinuation, “for weeks.”

“Duly noted,” Ryan says, shuffling back towards them with his hands in his pockets.

Danny’s eyes sparkle. “Tonight?”

Ryan flexes his fingers lightly on top of Rémi’s chest so as not to jostle her and Danny puts the empty bottle down the side of the armchair to deal with later. “Wouldn’t’ve thought you’d be up for anything when this one is such a handful,”

“Let’s just say you inspire me.” They share a grin packed with it all – love, gratitude, ever-present desire – until Danny forces himself out of his reverie and sits Rémi up to burp her. Her feeds are a lot simpler these days and they’ve moved onto the next hurdle of weaning. So far, that week it’s not been particularly successful but there’s always tomorrow. “By the way, her eyes have changed colour again,”

“Really?” Ryan sits on the opposite side and squints at her. “What was it this time?”

Danny rubs Rémi’s back as he talks.“More like yours. I thought we’d go for a walk in the park ‘cause she was being so restless and grumpy I thought it might entertain her, being somewhere different. Maybe it was the reflection of the trees or the sky or something, I dunno, but looked down to talk to her and they definitely looked more greeny-blue than straight up blue.”

“Great.” Ryan enthuses, “Maybe people will stop telling me how much she looks like you and nothing like me!”

“It’s your recessive genes and I don’t mean these ones.” Danny pats the top of his arse, joking, then realises that Ryan’s not that amused. “Come on, she does look like you too. She has your forehead,”

“Thanks, just what I wanted,” he snorts, sarcastic.

Danny hooks his arm around Rémi’s waist and reaches for Ryan’s hand with the other. “Hey, she has the Hawley forehead and she has your smile and look!” Danny squeezes his hand then lets go to wriggle a finger between two of the poppers on her onesie – tiny cartoon giraffes today – to show Ryan her podgy thigh and the small cluster of _freckles_. “Babe, whatever she looks like, she’s every bit you as she is me because without us she wouldn’t even be here. Isn’t that right, RJ? Isn’t it? Tell Daddy he’s beautiful and should give Dad many kisses when you’ve gone to bed,”

That and Danny pressing a kiss to their locked hands breaks Ryan out of his insecurity and he nudges Danny’s shoulder with his, thankful that he knows the right thing to say. He knows how else he can show his thanks too.

“Tonight.” he vows quietly, dark with promise as he kisses Danny’s temple then stands up to take Rémi from him, “Come on, cheeky mon- _giraffe_ ,” he amends, amusing himself, “Dad’s got lines to learn and we should make sure the doggies are fed and watered.”

With his boyfriend looking at him with such love, dogs happy to see him and his daughter in his arms, babbling away to him, Ryan believes life can’t get much better than this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


	9. At the Scene of the Picnic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny and Ryan return to the spot in the village where they filmed Robron having a picnic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea what this is! I think I meant it to become the picnic smut that we didn’t see, but then Ryan got all CUTE AF and it didn’t feel right to do more lol. Just a random scene I thought of and seemed to go down well on my tumblr.
> 
> Hope you enjoy x

Hours after they’d filmed the picnic scene, Ryan and Danny are about to leave the village to head home when Danny nudges Ryan’s shoulder with his then gestures with a tilt of his head to follow him.

“What’s going on? Where are we going?” he asks with a slight laugh, stiffly hurrying to catch up to Danny because after a full day’s work his recovering knee is protesting the detour from his comfy ride back to the studios to pick up his car.

Danny turns, walking backwards, and waggles his eyebrows. “Back to the scene of the crime,”

“In this job that could mean anywhere,” he jokes, although recognises the wide expanse of grass ahead.

Eventually, they stop about as far away from the cricket pavilion as they were when in the middle of the scene and Danny pulls Ryan close by his leather jacket. With his hands still jammed in the pockets of the hoodie he’s also wearing underneath, he stumbles but Danny holds him steady and plants a hard kiss on his mouth. It’s rare that they kiss so openly and Ryan’s the first to end it, breathlessly checking the area around them in case someone is wandering about. The sun has nearly set beyond the Yorkshire hills, washing the sky peach and inky purple and the breeze has picked up, making him hunch his shoulders to his ears. When Danny offers no further explanation for the public display of affection, he sighs.

“What’re we doing here again?”

He shrugs. “Just felt like having some fun. Things are heavy right now and I, uh…” He hesitates and, sensing the shift, Ryan lightly grabs his elbow. Their eyes meet properly and Danny smiles, cheeks reddening. “I miss you. I miss you like I did when I was working with Sam and Michael. I always miss you when our guys aren’t being best mates.”

Ryan moves his grip to Danny’s shoulder and drops a kiss to his forehead. “It’ll pass, baby - ”

“I know that,” he squirms, rolling his eyes.

“Oi, you. Let me finish!” Ryan grins, squeezing the strong shoulder under his hand. He’ll never forget what it was like to see Danny in one of Robert’s shirts. “It’ll pass, like it always does, but you’ve always got me no matter what. Come find me, yeah? Em won’t mind you gatecrashing stuff. In fact, we should probably take her out for that drink we promised weeks ago. Y'know, impart some of our wisdom on how to handle this.”

Danny’s arms find his waist, fingers cold under the hem of his layers of clothing. “Oh like I did with you?”

“But without the sexual tension, if that’s alright,”

“I couldn’t help it!” he splutters, “I knew you were it when we had that screen test,”

“Yeah?”

He hears the smirk in Ryan’s voice, even before it shows on his face and Danny hits him in the stomach. “For the job, ya cheeky sod! I knew you were the one for the job. The rest was…a bonus.” His hand slides from being pressed against Ryan’s stomach to finding his fingers, tangling their hands together. It still feels brand new to do it on-screen, like they’re giving a little bit of their personal lives away, but he’ll always enjoy something this simple when they’re in each other’s company. “Thank you,” he says quietly, heartfelt.

“No need.” he says easily, lifting their joined hands to kiss his knuckles. “So can we leave now?”

But Danny shakes his head. “Absolutely not. I’ve got plans for you, Mr Hawley. Come on.”

With another glance around to make sure the grounds are suitably deserted, Ryan keeps hold of Danny’s hand and follows him up to the steps of the pavilion. “You’re not serious? We’re not characters on a TV show, we’re real people,”

He bites on his lip when Danny sidles close and cups him brazenly through his jeans. “They had the right idea though, didn’t they?” Leaving Ryan standing on the bottom step, he faces him as he unbuttons his jacket then takes his snapback off to run his fingers through his flattened hair, curls coming back to life. Ryan clenches his fingers into a fist, resisting, until Danny throws his hat at him with a grin and he catches it. “Robert didn’t need this much encouragement I’m sure,”

Ryan tuts. “Robert’s an idiot ruled by his dick,”

“Take a leaf out of his book then!” Danny turns the handle on the door and looks back at him from under his dark lashes. He’s half in shadow, alluring and he knows it. “Come get me.”

He’s not strong enough to refuse an invitation like that, so Ryan closes his eyes for a second and breathes in deep before he straightens his posture, chest out, and follows Danny inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


	10. In The Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by [mrshiftysugden](http://mrshiftysugden.tumblr.com) \- _Are you in the mood to write a little Dryan emotionally connected awesome sex? I feel we need it._

Turning off the tree and sunlight dappled road, Danny drives a little further down a more beaten path, taking them into the woods and away from the noise of other cars. In fact, in ten minutes they’re away from everything but the summer weather, the birds and the sound of the Mercedes’ engine. He parks up in front of a cosy looking log cabin and Ryan looks between it and him, watching him be a mix of excited and smug.

“So, what d'you think? Is this romantic enough for ya?”

Ryan puts his hand to the nape of Danny’s neck, pulling him forward despite the gearstick in the way. “Think I’m gonna have to up my game.” he murmurs before kissing him.

Made of dark wood and the softest, warmest furnishings, the cabin itself isn’t anything spectacular but the gesture is and what’s more it’s not even a special occasion. Ryan knows they’ve both been working hard lately and, when Friday had dawned, Danny had told him to pack a bag because they were going somewhere for the whole weekend, just the two of them. Well, what he actually said was “Drop the dogs off at your mum’s and I’ll pick you up from there. No extra clothes needed, I’ll bring the lube.”

Not a sentiment at the height of romance but spending time together is and Ryan can hardly blame him when he passes the door to the bedroom and spots the sturdy, solid oak bed and the wall next to it that’s been knocked through and replaced by a huge floor to ceiling pane of glass. It’s lucky there isn’t anyone else out here for miles because he plans to get Danny under him as soon as he finds him again. They might not pay attention to the beauty of the landscape when wrapped up in each other, but it’ll probably be quite soothing to look at in a post-coital haze, tangled together on top of several blankets because it’s warm outside and they’re both sweaty and dirty. It’s easy to imagine how beautiful it is in winter too.

“Danny?” he calls, as he’d wandered off to explore because Danny told him to. He was acting like he had something to hide, intriguing Ryan. “Where are you?”

His voice carries across the cabin before he hears a distant reply. “I’m outside! You can come out now!”

“Cheers,” he chuckles, pushing open the door to Danny standing at the bottom of the short stack of steps. There’s something tucked under his arm. “What’s that?”

He descends the steps and Danny grabs his hand. “You ask too many questions. I don’t do that when you’re being all mysterious and romantic, do I?”

“No, you just want to know ‘are we there yet?’ every five minutes,”

“Fine, we’re as bad as each other.” He squeezes Ryan’s hand and presses his body close, sharing a chaste, lingering kiss that makes him grin. “Or, y'know, made for each other or something. Come on, I’ve got something to show you.”

Ryan follows willingly down a track that’s obviously been well trodden and he’s wondering what the hell is out here that has carved a way that many people have used when he spots a river up ahead. Wide and surprisingly calm in the late afternoon sun, it moves along languidly in the background and past reeds and a big tree on the embankment. Danny lets go of his hand to roll out the blanket and toss down some items from his pocket that look far too small to be food. He throws a look over his shoulder to make sure Ryan’s watching, and grasps the neck of his t-shirt to remove it.

Ryan raises his eyebrows. “You’re not going in there?” he checks, not entirely confident that Danny wouldn’t. “Baby, I know it’s summer but it’s still a British summer. It’s gonna be freezing!”

“Don’t be daft,” he tuts, “Come here.”

Danny drags him onto the blanket and coaxes him down, laying back with long grass all around them and pulling him into a kiss before Ryan can hesitate. He feels the heat of Danny’s bare torso against his own and rocks their hips together, moaning a little when their tongues slide and Danny’s cock swells. Ryan realises what he wants when Danny’s hands move from clutching his shoulders to underneath his jeans and boxers, squeezing his arse.

He pulls away quickly, breathless and nervous. “Hey, we can’t be caught out here,”

“No one’s gonna see us! It’s not like there’s any paps lurking about on the off chance that they get an exclusive,” Danny jokes, smiling, still greedily touching him.

“Funny, because there’s a thing called long range lenses,”

“What would the headline be?” he wonders. “'RobrON off-screen’? ‘Robron-ing off on each other?’ ‘EmmerGAYle?’ What? I’m not a journalist!”

“Clearly.” Ryan shakes his head, “This is mad.”

“Put it on your bucket list,”

“Aren’t you supposed to tick things _off_ a bucket list?”

“Alright, smartypants,” Danny chuckles, a whisper to his ear, “Put it on the list and tick it off that I want you to fuck me right here, right now.”

They undress quickly; Danny’s exhibitionist streak kicks in and sees him completely naked whilst Ryan shivers and pushes his jeans around his thighs. Trading kisses, he grabs the condom and sits on his heels as Danny leans up on his elbows, legs spread either side of Ryan’s covered knees, mouth smirking. Teasing. Daring. Ryan throws at his broadened chest the bottle of lube he also expectantly brought with him.

“Don’t need it,” he shrugs.

Confused, Ryan doubts whether to trust him that he’s not just saying that to get fucked faster and it must show on his face as Danny rolls his eyes and sits up, reaching for his boyfriend’s dick. The first touch is a shock, the warmth of Danny’s hand connecting to soft skin and hardness beneath. Ryan’s hips jerk as Danny rubs at him, making sure before he rolls the condom on and adds a layer of lube. He lies flat again as if Ryan’s just going to do it no questions asked and it’s quick enough to stop him testing with two fingers, watching how easy it is to sink in. He glances up as Danny bears down, squirming then withdraws to move on top of him, face to face.

“That’s why you disappeared earlier,” he understands, awed at Danny’s determination to pull this off.

He nods, “Didn’t want to waste time. Came outside after to get the blanket and supplies from my car then called you.”

Ryan tucks his face into Danny’s neck, breathing him in. “Got me right where you want me, eh?”

“I have now.”

He inhales sharply as Ryan eases forward, hands pushing up his t-shirt to his armpits and clamped to the rolling muscles of his shoulderblades as he glides in to the hilt. He can tell Danny did a rush job by his grimace, but he slowly thrusts because he knows Danny wants it like this and feeling sore later won’t stop him. Warm and tight around his cock, Ryan brings their lips back together and loses himself in the strong hold Danny’s body has over him, sharing noises in between clumsy kisses as they build a rhythm that climbs with each breath and twitch. 

He’s aware his tangled jeans and open belt are probably playing havoc with the sensitive inner flesh of Danny’s thighs, but Danny’s got him in a vice-like grip, panting and groaning as he tips his face to the sky instead of the ceiling. When Ryan can open his eyes through the waves of pleasure, he sees the thinness of bright blue in Danny’s irises and the sunlight falling across his curly hair, untamed by a hat for once or product and not for the first time he’s glad he gets to call Danny his. The intensity of his feelings makes him shudder and it must feel good for Danny too because he strains against him and his eyes momentarily sway unfocused with a shaky yell.

“Why’ve we never – _oh_! - done this before?”

“We don’t live near the woods?”

“Let’s buy a place,” Danny gasps, switching his hands back to Ryan’s arse, pushing him to fuck him harder, deeper. “Want you to fuck me like this all the damn time – yeah, fuck, ’m'close,”

“Great idea!” Ryan laughs, high on the adrenaline.

Leaning to one side, he balances right to curl his fingers around Danny’s erection and tug to help him finish. A couple of strokes in and continuing his own thrusts, Danny’s body seizes up. For a second, Ryan thinks he’s going to beat him to it before his dick spurts plentifully onto his toned stomach. Shaking from the force of it, all his limbs relax and Ryan easily slips out.

“I don’t mind,” Danny slurs, arm over his face to block out the sun as he struggles to get his breathing under control. “Fuck me more. Or I could…”

He grabs the back of Ryan’s bare thigh and wordlessly demands he move until he’s hovering over Danny’s chest. He strips off the condom and before Ryan can protest that it’ll be hell on his neck, he raises his head and sucks at his dick. Already keyed up, Ryan’s insides jump at the sudden clutch of Danny’s throat, his mouth following him down until his nose touches dark blonde hair. He swallows and Ryan has to plant his hand above Danny’s head so he doesn’t crumple in a heap as his orgasm hits and Danny takes every last drop before he lets him go.

Greedy for air, Ryan listens to him recover once more as he falls heavily on his side then turns onto his back, pulling up his underwear properly but kicking off his flip flops and the jeans that have slipped to his knees. Afterwards, he gathers Danny into his arms and kisses his forehead, his cheeks and then his mouth, the vibration of his tired chuckle passing through their joined lips.

“You’re amazing,” he murmurs, gently flexing his fingers into Danny’s scalp.

He shivers bodily against Ryan but not because of feeling cold and snuggles closer. “Did you mean it?”

“What?”

“Buying a place. Somewhere to get away from it all.”

Ryan presses another kiss to his mouth, tasting himself now that he’s paying attention, and smiles softly.. He’s in love and the chance to always get away to someplace secret when things get too much or they want to treat each other doesn’t sound like anything but a positive.

“Sure,” he agrees, “why not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


	11. Forever Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan and Danny love their mums a lot and would do anything for them, including shaving facial hair and missing big showbiz events.
> 
> (Set pre-and-post BSAs 2017)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For [bonotje](http://archiveofourown.org/users/bonotje) because she asked me on tumblr to write something about dryan being mummy's boys and inexplicably I came up with this lol. IDEK. Love ya, chicka. <3
> 
> Hope you and everyone else enjoys! x

Ryan watches Danny step out of the shower to grab them a towel each. Comfortable in his nakedness and more importantly comfortable in the knowledge of his boyfriend's eyes on him, Danny turns around and Ryan snaps his head up to him holding out the second towel. As he reaches for it, Danny cheekily glances down at where Ryan had resolutely been trying not to look on him. They've already been down that road and is the reason Ryan's original shower took so long.

“Stop it! We haven't got time!” he half laughs, taking the proffered towel to swipe at Danny's bare arse in reprimand before he wraps the cloth around his waist and follows Danny to the two sinks. 

“Spoilsport,” he grumbles, not like he's just had his brain sucked out from his cock.

Ryan feels his knees throb a little from being seduced into kneeling on the tiles but both are immeasurably glad that he can do such a thing again without any real awkward discomfort. If he's missed it, Danny definitely has but he meant it – neither of them can afford to play around again, so he distracts himself by picking up the can of shaving foam already set out. His eyes lock with Danny's in the big rectangle mirror and they smile at each other, giddy and loose from being in love and lust, as they get ready for their evenings away from the usual cosy nights in. 

Danny's heading to Manchester because he's nominated at the British Soap Awards and ordinarily Ryan would be going with him, except he said to his mum weeks before that he'd take her to his close cousin's engagement party. Initially, he was torn because Danny's his man but he's up against his _family_ and there's not a lot more important to him. His mum had told him not to worry, she'd hitch a lift with his brother instead but it wasn't about that. He made a promise and he's sticking to it. When he broke the news to Danny that he wasn't going to go to the awards, his reaction had been a surprise. Despite his obvious nerves and anticipation, he was calm about the prospect of not going as a couple, although maybe having Adam and Daniel there anyway had something to do with it. 

Besides, their relationship wasn't exactly official to the media yet. Whilst it wouldn't look too strange to turn up together as they are co-stars and in an on-screen marriage, they wouldn't be able to fully relax, especially at the after-party. Ryan knows he'd want to kiss him, touch him and maybe right now it's for the best he stays away and doesn't have to struggle through appearing strictly platonic. They're close to being comfortable enough to tell the world, pretty sure they're not getting rid of each other any time soon, but they won't push it. When they're truly ready, it'll happen.

As Ryan spreads a handful of foam across his chin, he drinks his fill of Danny before he has to concentrate. He watches him lean over the sink to inspect his moderately thick beard and a shiver runs down Ryan's spine as he remembers the soft scratch of Danny's face between his thighs a few nights ago, driving him crazy as his hand had tightly finished him off. His damp muscles ripple as he straightens and catches Ryan staring.

“Careful,” he warns, eyes alight in a smile but his voice muffled as he pats his face bone dry to be able to use his electric razor. It's a shame but sometimes his beard is unruly and he likes to take care of himself as much as the next guy, so Ryan's mostly okay with him keeping it neat.

When half of his own face is clean shaven and he's swirling away the foam into the water, he notices that Danny's not exactly just trimming his beard a little. He holds the skin taut with one hand and circles the razor across his jaw with the other and something urgently possessive takes over Ryan's body. He barely registers the clatter of his wet razor against the sink as he reaches for Danny's wrist.

“What're you doing?” he says slowly.

As if he was in his own little world, Danny looks up at Ryan's half finished face and laughs, but abruptly stops when he sees him frown slightly. “I'm shaving,” he says in the same tone, “like you are.”

“Exactly. Don't.”

Danny grins at his incredulity. “Look, Mum called this afternoon and dropped an unsubtle hint that hopefully I'd shave before tonight because I'm gonna be on TV,”

Ryan's shoulders relax and he raises his eyebrow. “She realises how ridiculous that sounds, right?”

“You're not your character tonight, you're you, Daniel,” Danny replies in an overly high pitched voice that sounds nothing like his mum but gets the point across with a mischievous giggle. “Babe, I'm just doing it to make her happy.”

Ryan rubs at his pulse with his thumb then relents. “Alright, that's quite sweet really.”

He fishes out his razor and they spend the rest of their time shaving in relative silence. Danny leaves the bathroom first and Ryan hears him switch on some loud music in their bedroom, obviously getting himself in the mood to have a fun, hopefully successful night. Once Ryan cleans his teeth and pats his cheeks with aftershave, he comes out to Danny still shirtless but dressed in his smartest jeans and bent over the foot of their bed, hunting for the right tie. Ryan sidles up behind him to head for the dresser to get underwear, only for Danny to whirl around and smack his arse with the tightly held length of his chosen tie. The sound is worse than its bite, but Ryan jumps anyway.

“That's for the towel!” Danny cackles, referring to earlier.

They're too preoccupied and mindful of the time for much more banter and eventually Danny slides on his blazer and adjusts the knot of his tie before he lifts his arms from his sides for Ryan's approval. He draws Danny in with his hands to his waist, a favourite move of his on-screen too, and chastely kisses him on the mouth. He's pleased to feel that he hasn't gone completely beard free. “You look amazing.”

“Not so bad yourself.” Danny smooths his palm over Ryan's chest and his white shirt. “I like this shirt.”

“I know,” he grins.

Danny groans into his boyfriend's neck, resigned. “Tell your mum I'm sorry I couldn't be there.”

“It's fine,” he assures, “tell the media I'm not.”

He chuckles as Danny rolls his eyes. “I'll try and make it back in time to stop by after.”

“Looking forward to it. Bring it home, baby.” Ryan says against his lips before he kisses Danny deeper.

\---

Ryan takes his drink from the bar and resists the urge to check his phone for any news from Danny. The awards ceremony is bound to have finished now, but maybe he's being swamped by too many people to get a minute to himself. He doesn't begrudge him that; it'd actually be something similar to how he was greeted by his family tonight. His mum had given him a big hug and then seemed ready to welcome Danny when she remembered that Ryan was flying solo.

“I'm just so used to seeing you together. You make a lovely pair.” she sighed happily, catching hold of Ryan's face in two hands.

“Well, thanks mum but I think that's the definition of co-dependent,” he joked.

He winced when she huffed and gave his cheek a light slap. “Nonsense! I love you both that's all.” Her eyes went soft, her neck craned to keep looking up at him. “You're a fine young man, sweetheart. My little boy,” she adds quietly, voice suddenly wobbling. “I'm so proud of you, Ryan.”

“Alright, how much have you had?” he chuckled, gently taking her arms away from him to grip her hands in his. He looked towards the table where his immediate family sat but wouldn't know which glass was hers because everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves already. “I better go and congratulate Mila before you start blubbing.” he grinned, squeezing her fingers.

That was hours ago and Ryan makes his way back to their table when his mum stands up with arms raised. He's prepared for more of her endearing, embarrassing soppiness but she bypasses him entirely with a delighted cry of “Danny, love!”

Ryan turns sharply to see Danny come through the door and his heart does a complicated flip of happy to see him and that he made it yet disappointed that he's arriving empty handed. Of course he could've left his award in the car, but their eyes meet and he knows that's not the case from Danny's smile. He kisses him with as much love as possible and pulls him into his chest for a hug.

“Sorry you didn't win,” he says into his ear.

Danny steps out of the embrace to shrug, still smiling. “Don't be. John won and so did the show,”

“Really? That's great. Award winners again, eh?” Ryan beams, checking him out.

His tie is slightly askew and the top button of his shirt is undone. Other than that, he remains as gorgeous as when he'd left Ryan at home and he's about to reply when Ryan's mum interrupts their conversation by wrapping her arm around his elbow. “Get Danny a drink, will you?” she says to her son, “Come on, I want to hear all the gossip!”

Ryan shakes his head fondly and obeys his mother, glad that she and Danny get on so well that it's not awkward to leave him surrounded by his family.

He's not sure Danny will remember the rest of the night before as he climbs the stairs the morning after with breakfast in bed for his hungover boyfriend. It's a good thing he had someone to drive him back to Leeds to Ryan's cousin's party because he was definitely more than tipsy by the end of It, although Ryan's good enough to not let that slip to Danny's mum.

“Yeah, I heard what you told him to do,” he whispers as he nudges the ajar bedroom door with his foot, a tray of food in both hands and Danny's phone tucked between his shoulder and ear. It had rang when he was downstairs and as he saw who was calling he knew it'd be okay to say hello. “Hey, I'm not sure I do, y'know?” he answers with a helpless laugh as to whether he likes Danny with very little stubble.

Whether he's too loud or not, Danny stirs slowly and rolls onto his back. Ryan waits for him to give him a bleary-eyed smile to tell him that he's a little worse for wear but not catastrophically so and he's still pleased about the awards their show did win. He drags himself against the headboard and Ryan puts the tray in his lap, perching on the side of the bed to face him and properly hold Danny's phone in his hand. He spots Ryan wearing a t-shirt and his boxers and frowns, ignoring the tempting food to be tempted by his boyfriend instead and he shoves his hand underneath the hem of Ryan's t-shirt to try and touch him. 

“Your mum!” he mouths frantically as he rears away, trying not to give the game away to the woman who'll maybe one day be more than his boyfriend's mother. “Well, it's been a pleasure talking to you, but your little prince is finally awake if you want a word?” he teases her then offers Danny his phone.

He covers the speaker with his fingers. “Like you're any less of a mummy's boy! Your mum had some things to tell me when you were up by the bar last night.” he hisses, eyes narrowed in challenge. Ryan's gaze drops momentarily to his naked chest and he tenses his bicep, the fucker, as he lifts his phone to his ear. “Hi, Mum. How are you? - Yeah, I said I would, didn't I? - Only for you.”

Ryan slides back into bed as Danny fills his mum in about last night, including that he's such a good boyfriend to have eventually made it to Ryan's family thing too. Danny's smirking at him as he says it and is well aware that Ryan can get him back for that. Thankful that Danny hasn't FaceTimed his mum, Ryan pulls his t-shirt off and moves his arm under the sheets like he's really going to play dirty. He leans in and presses a soft kiss to Danny's neck before his hand reappears and he steals a piece of toast from Danny's plate. Outraged, Danny's mouth drops open.

“Okay, Mum, I gotta go,” he says hurriedly, “ - Yeah, I know it's a Sunday – I'm busy! Love you, bye!”

At the same speed of him ending the call, Ryan crams the triangle of bread into his mouth in one go, spluttering a giggle and crumbs as Danny moves his phone onto the bedside table and the tray onto the last available corner. He turns back to Ryan with a dark look. “You are _so_ dead,” he vows.

Still, he's not totally cruel. Danny waits for him to swallow before he swings a leg to sit astride him and pins Ryan's wrists to the pillow just in case.

Ryan juts his chin at him. “You're a good son,”

“I know I am.” Danny says smugly, brushing his cheek along Ryan's smooth one. “But what about a good boyfriend?”

His fingers drift to Ryan's ribs and he doesn't stop him; he figures he deserves it. In fact, it's the perfectly joyful, breathless start to an otherwise lazy Sunday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


	12. This Time Ryan Is Jealous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by a tumblr anon - Ryan gets jealous of Steven, the actor who played Dr Alex.
> 
> _What if Dryan was together but it was kind of hush hush, and this actor who plays the doctor took an interest in Danny. So it was a bit like life imitating art, and then Ryan got jealous but couldnt really show it, because of the secrecy. And in the end the dude did find out and was all. Oh no I'm so sorry. If I had know I would have never. Oh this is awkward._

The director calls ‘Cut!’ and Danny takes a polite step backwards and slides his hands into the pockets of his Aaron jeans, his choice of outfits lately making him happy. Steven still looks a little like a fish out of water, masking his awkwardness by being a consummate professional, which Danny appreciates. He smiles when Steven clears his throat, readying to say something.

“Hey, so - um - when we’re done here, do you fancy going out for - er - for a drink?”

Shocked, Danny’s mind starts working double time as he tries to think of an appropriate response because he hadn’t been expecting that at all. It’s not like he hasn’t been around castmates outside of work before, they get together plenty, but he watches Steven brush his palms down his thighs and how jittery he looks, like this took a lot of effort to ask and Danny’s stomach plummets because _shit_.

“Well,” he blinks, avoiding the other man’s hopeful gaze so he won’t see how crushed he’s going to be, “I have to get back to Manchester tonight.”

It’s hardly the best rebuff and even Steven looks a little surprised, probably expecting to be completely shot down. Danny meant to, but he thought he’d ease into it.

“And the thing is - ” he adds, realising that spark in Steven’s eyes means this absolutely can’t wait. Unfortunately, Fate has other ideas and as Steven closes the gap between them again and they wait to be told where their marks are for the next take, Danny spots blonde hair over Steven’s shoulder. “Ryan!”

It’s out of his mouth before he can stop it, a twitch to Steven’s face showing his discomfort at them being interrupted and how much he’s making a dog’s dinner of this. Panicking, Danny waves Ryan over and he sneaks past crew paying him no attention, used to the boys being otherwise attached at the hip, even if they don’t entirely know the whole story.

“Hi. How’s it going?”

Instantly feeling more relaxed, Danny nods with a grin. “Good, yeah. Steven’s great!”

“Really?” he smiles.

“Yeah, ‘course, mate,” Danny says and Ryan looks between them silently, sensing he’s missed something because Danny barely mentions this Steven when they’re alone and now he’s gushing about him.

Danny picks up on how he’s overcompensating and takes in a deep breath, changing the subject. “So, what’re you doing here?”

“Filming next door,” Ryan says, polite but eyes fixed on Steven and uh-oh, could this get any worse? Surely he doesn’t think - surely he wouldn’t - and Danny watches his jaw clench the tiniest bit and gets his answer. Suddenly, he’s overwhelmed with the need to reassure, but he can’t kiss Ryan here and now that’s all he wants to do.

“Right, well - shouldn’t you be getting back?” he asks, trying to create distance he doesn’t actually want.

A brief flash of hurt crosses Ryan’s handsome face and Danny feels the guilt like a punch, looking wildly between the man who clearly fancies him because he just awkwardly asked him out on a date and the man who’s actually his secret boyfriend. They were planning on having a meeting with Iain next week to let him know, so they don’t have to hide quite as much and certainly not like this.

“You called me over,” he says reasonably enough.

“You were loitering,”

“Sorry - ” Ryan says tightly, back to looking at Steven, probably having already worked him out now, but before any of them can say anything, the first AD comes bustling over and Ryan makes his excuses, fleeing the scene.

Steven steps into Danny’s personal space and he keeps in his sigh. This can’t end well.

\---

For the rest of the day, Danny muddles through and feels shit about it because he always gives 110%. Steven barely knows him, so doesn’t notice or at least doesn’t call attention to it and they go their separate ways with things unsaid, Danny moving up the village towards the green room to collect his things. He feels lucky and delighted to find no one else but Ryan there, slowly packing away his stuff into his rucksack and he feels reckless enough to march up to him and throw himself into his arms, mouth first.

The kiss is frantic and deep and Ryan kisses back with as much possessiveness as Danny thought he would, quite hot under the collar at the thought that his panicky praise for Steven was enough grounds for jealousy. Thank god he didn’t turn up later when he had to kiss the bloke.

Hand at the nape of Ryan’s neck, he squeezes and feels Ryan hold his waist as natural as breathing, assuming the positions they have even made their own on-screen, but instead of pulling apart, Danny uses his skill of one-handed clothes removal to shove down one side of Ryan’s jacket off his shoulder and to undo enough buttons on his shirt to get at the skin of his neck and collarbone. He tucks his face there and feels Ryan’s pulse thrum against his tongue, his busy hand now drifting to the zip on his jeans.

He’s getting off on the fact that Ryan’s being as reckless by letting him do this for him here, where anyone could walk in but neither of them care enough to stop, too caught up in proving to each other that they are the only one they want to kiss, fuck and, most importantly, go home with at night.

With Ryan’s hands slipping down to cup his arse appreciatively, Danny works his into Ryan’s jeans to grip him firmly and is sucking a bruise low onto his collarbone when the door jiggles. Sometimes it gets stuck because this place is something of a make do and mend situation, which is nothing like their lovely dressing room at the studios.

Danny shivers and presses closer to Ryan’s body radiating heat and desire as the door jiggles again then busts open, someone clearly determined to get in.

“Oh shit.” comes a familiar voice, as he and Ryan are slow to catch up to him being caught having his hand down his pants. “Oh god, I am so so sorry!”

“Steven,” Danny breathes, turning around to shield Ryan’s haphazard state of undress, even though he’ll be able to tell the effect it’s had on him too, without baring skin.

“Honestly, I had no idea!” he exclaims, running both hands through his floppy hair, “I mean, I would never have - you’re obviously - ”

“Hey, it’s okay, no harm done.” Ryan says softly and Danny looks over his shoulder, surprised but then he smiles because deep down he’s not. Ryan’s got the biggest heart of anyone he knows and that more than makes up for the occasional flawed bout of unfounded jealousy when Danny matches him for it by sometimes putting his foot in his mouth.

“This is so embarrassing!” Steven laughs, blushing.

“Not as embarrassed as I am,” he quips, pulling his shirt and jacket onto his shoulder again, Danny hiding his open jeans from view. His neck is flushed pink in a telltale sign, not just from Danny’s handiwork and he grins, feeling oddly pleased with himself as his boyfriend and Steven share a laugh then Steven points his thumb behind, already half closing the door.

“I’ll - er - leave you to it. Sorry again. Strictly - I won’t - ” he cuts himself off and changes tack. “See you tomorrow, Danny.”

Danny nods and they watch as he shuts the door, leaving them alone once more. “He seems nice,” Ryan offers, putting his arms around Danny’s waist from behind.

Despite the fact, he can feel the warmth of Ryan’s bare chest against his back, he is aghast. “You’ve changed your tune!”

“You were praising him earlier,” he points out, raising his eyebrows in an amused challenge as he makes fun.

“I panicked,” Danny scowls, “I could tell you were jealous and I didn’t want things getting out of hand.” Ryan turns him around and gives him a look that says Danny knows him better than that. Even if Ryan was wildly jealous, he’d never jeopardise his career or Danny’s feelings for him by acting out to extremes. After all, he’s not a soap character. “Alright, I didn’t say it was logical.”

“You’re lucky I love you,” he smiles.

“Ditto,” Danny replies because he doesn’t deserve to hear it properly after taking the piss.

He’s not worried about Steven telling anyone what he walked in on. For one, he’s sadly not going to be a regular fixture and two, after Monday, it won’t matter anyway. They’ll be out, to anyone that matters, and Danny can’t wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


	13. Birthday Sex For Ryan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another tumblr anon prompt - Danny surprises Ryan for his birthday. Basically.

Shutting the front door behind him, Ryan leant back against it for a moment and exhaled. Work hours had overrun a little after a technical problem had grinded the schedule to a halt and so he was getting home after Danny had already left. It was the nice thing about living together that Ryan could just catch up with him at home and it felt important tonight because it was his birthday and Danny had promised him allsorts with a big grin. Ryan didn’t need anything, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t appreciate the thought anyway.

However, he’s a little confused when he bypasses the living room to walk into the kitchen and finds Danny sat at the island with his mum, Tommy and Lola at her feet and strapped into their harnesses.

“Mum?”

“Well, that’s my cue! Have a good night, okay?” she smiles at Danny and stands up, encouraging the dogs to follow her. 

Totally lost, Ryan bends down to pet them because if he’s got this right then they’re leaving with her and this is the last he’ll see of them until tomorrow. After a moment, he looks up at his mum to see fondness in her eyes and rolls his good-naturedly when he straightens and she kisses his cheek, wiping away her lipstick with her thumb like she used when he was a shy kid hellbent on zero soppy stuff.

“My boy,” she says, misty-eyed, “32. All grown up.”

“Which I’ve been for 14 years.”

“Oi, less of the cheek!” she tuts, “If I can’t get emotional on your birthday, when can I?”

“Stay.” He looks at Danny. “Tell her.”

But Ryan’s mum shakes her head. “No, sorry, can’t stop. I just came to pick up these little ‘uns for the night to leave you and Danny with some alone time.”

She wiggles her eyebrows and Ryan makes a face, practically pushing her out the door for that, even as her laugh also gets him smiling. Once she’s gone, he turns to Danny, who’s standing in the hallway, and gestures him forward for a kiss hello. It ends with Danny’s hands on his back and Ryan’s face tucked into his shoulder, enjoying the strength in his man and the comfort it brings after a long day.

“Tired?”

He is a little, but he senses Danny is asking for a reason and he’s not about to ruin it. “No, and you’ve clearly done something, so come on, what’ve you been planning?”

“Well, I only had an hour before you came home,” he chuckles, leading Ryan by the elbow to the shut door of their living room, “and I know you don’t want too much fuss, but…”

He opens the door and Ryan is greeted with their living room in darkness except for the myriad of candles dotted around, bottles of beer in an ice bucket they might’ve nicked from the Dorchester as a final way to celebrate Ryan’s award win and something paused on the TV.

“Is that - ?”

“Yeah, it’s from last week’s game and only highlights, but I thought we could watch it and then…I don’t know, see where the evening takes us.”

“Quick, call the papers!” Ryan grins, sliding his arm around Danny’s waist. “Die hard Liverpool fan wants to lower himself to watching Sheffield in the championship,”

“I don’t want to,” Danny quips in return, “but it’s your birthday and I’m hoping to get in your good books by giving you everything you like tonight, so when it’s my turn you’ll remember this and return the favour.”

Ryan pulls him into his body again and dips his chin, looking at Danny’s mouth. “Oh yeah? _Everything_ I like?”

The smirk he gets in response tells him everything he needs to know.

\---

The football is just coming to an end when Danny starts mindlessly fiddling with Ryan’s hands. Warm against his chest, he has his hands resting loosely in Danny’s lap, feeling him stroke his fingers, hold them, press them tantalisingly close over his covered crotch.

“I love your hands y’know,” he says finally, with a sigh.

“Yeah?” Ryan kisses his temple, thinking he’s being soft and ridiculous, but lucky it’s one of the many reasons he loves him. “Never would’ve guessed.”

He gets an elbow in the stomach for that. “Shut up! I’m trying to tell you everything I love about you because it’s your birthday and people say nice things on other people’s birthdays. I do, okay? Love you, I mean.”

He turns to face Ryan, dropping his hand to put his own flat on Ryan’s chest, right over his steady heartbeat and he leans in to kiss him in apology and gratitude all at once. With no further distractions now that the football is finished and there’s no dogs to occupy him, the kiss deepens quickly until Danny is practically settled on top of him. His hands - those that Danny loves so much - are almost within squeezing distance of his arse when he grabs them and shuffles off the sofa, dragging Ryan up with him.

“I think we need to move,” he says, pulling him towards the stairs.

“Really? I thought the whole point of my mum taking the dogs was so we could have sex in every room on every available surface without fear of interruptions?”

Danny stops halfway and takes one step down so that he’s only a little taller than Ryan. “Oh don’t you worry, we’ll get to that later.”

He has to admit he admires Danny’s forethought, that he’s thought and done all of this solely for him tonight, when he’s pushed onto the plush softness of their bed and stripped. He immediately turns onto his stomach, knowing that Danny will understand, and bites his lip when he sees how quickly he undresses to match Ryan’s nakedness and clambers onto the bed. As he rests on his forearms, Ryan feels him straddle his waist and lean over to whisper in his ear.

“Nice birthday suit.”

It shocks a laugh out of him and he lifts his hand to angle Danny into another kiss. “Not so bad yourself.”

“So, you wanna…?”

Ryan licks his lips, grinning when Danny tracks the movement of his tongue and if he wasn’t so ready for this right now he’d absolutely shove him down and have his wicked way with him first. As it is, he shuts his eyes in bliss when Danny’s fingers trail down his spine, lift then return wet to slip between his cheeks. They both know that him rolling over means he wants to feel it and he gasps when two fingers in, Danny replaces them slowly with his cock. Ryan feels the stretch and breathes through it, the side of his face to the bed and his arse hitched higher, silently begging to be taken.  
It being his birthday, Danny clearly meant it that he’d give Ryan everything he likes and he groans appreciatively as he fucks in deep, sending sparks up his spine and making his hands clench in the sheets when he starts bloody talking in his ear and kissing his neck and shoulder.

“I meant it,” he pants, “I fuckin’ love everything about you, even the bits that annoy the hell out of me, and I’m proud of you an’ all,”

“You feel so good - _fuck_!” Ryan agrees, stealing another quick kiss over his shoulder, “I’ll let you get away with being soft,”

“Not soft!” Danny growls jokingly, making him laugh and shiver at the same time.

“Okay, okay!” he relents, “Just don’t - don’t stop!”

Like everything tonight has been, Ryan’s wish is Danny’s command.

This year’s birthday will be hard to beat.

But if anyone can do it, Danny can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


	14. Ryan And Danny Find Out About The Robron Reunion 2017

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by tumblr Anon - Ryan and Danny find out about Robron reuniting.

Ryan’s having ten minutes of chill time with Adam as they sit in their dressing room when the door bursts open to reveal Danny, grinning from ear to ear and visibly excited. He had assumed that he was busy filming, but apparently not as he rushes towards them.

“Hey, what’s crawled up your arse and - ” Adam starts then frowns, “wait, I’ve got that wrong, don’t I?”

Ryan glances at him sidelong, eyebrows raised, then chooses to smile properly at Danny.

“Nothing’s up my arse, thanks, mate!” he replies, brushing off Adam’s joke and reaching for Ryan’s arm. “Just need to borrow this one for a bit,”

“What now?” Ryan groans, resisting, “I told you not to involve me in any of your stupid pranks,”

“Alright, grandad!” Adam cackles, stretching his legs across the sofa as Ryan finally lets Danny drag him to his feet. “But you really should - ”

“Berate him for not joining in later, we’ve got a meeting to get to!” Danny interrupts, heading for the door.

“Ooh, berate! Look at you!”

Adam grabs a nearby piece of paper, balls it up and aims to lob it at the back of Danny’s head. It glances off his shoulder at best then falls before Ryan moves to follow him, happy that he’s out of danger.

“It’s honestly like wrangling children,” he tuts, tongue firmly in cheek.

“Oi don’t blame me! He started it!” Danny laughs, opening the door.

Ryan raises his eyebrows like _see my point?_ but lets it go because he’s got more pressing matters to think about. Like the fact he wasn’t told about any meeting and consequently that he’s not prepared at all and he’s walking the corridors with Danny for a few minutes before he caves and asks.  
“Do we really have a meeting to go to together or was that just to stop Adam taking the piss?”

“Bit of both,” he chuckles then stops on the spot with a heavy sigh when he sees from Ryan’s face that it’s not enough. “Yes, we have a meeting. Iain wants a chat.”

Ryan feels his jaw drop. “Oh shit, what have we done?”

“Nothing! I haven’t seen you properly in ages to do anything,” Danny quips back, rolling his eyes when Ryan immediately grins.

He bumps him with his hip. “You miss me,”

“You know I do!” Danny calls after him as Ryan goes on ahead, jogging to catch up.

\---

A good half an hour later, Ryan comes out of Iain’s office with Danny and admittedly feeling a little overwhelmed. He’d known that their characters wouldn’t be broken up forever, but to know that the plan is a reunion around Christmas time and a second, legal wedding in the summer is a lot to take in at once.

The door closes, Iain already on the phone to someone else, and Danny clumsily tries to jump on Ryan’s back. If he was excited before at being called for a meeting, he’s bouncing off the walls now.

“Fucking finally! This is the best news I’ve had all day!” he beams and Ryan gives him a little shove back, stuffing his hands in his jeans’ pockets so that they have to just walk side by side instead. “I’m buzzing about this! This is good, right?”

“Of course it is,” he smiles, laughing when Danny pokes him in the waist a couple of times to get him to show it. “Stop! I’m glad, I swear!”

“Well, good. I can’t wait to kiss you again.” Suddenly, there’s a sparkle in his eye and Ryan swallows hard because usually that means mischief. “Sod that, I’m not waiting!” he adds, pulling at Ryan’s wrist as he walks backwards.

He crashes through the door of some room the size of a postage stamp and Ryan kicks it shut, taking his hands from his pockets to hurriedly steady Danny at his waist, the other man clinging to his shoulders and lips landing perfectly on his. It’s dark and there’s no time to find a light switch, let alone to get a snog, so Ryan makes the most of having Danny in the here and now, the reality of being apart at work all the more stark when he has to snatch moments like this throughout the day. Of course, they could wait to go to each other’s houses, but where’s the fun in that?

And it seems Danny can’t wait to spread his ‘best news’ as Ryan trails his lips to Danny’s neck and feels one of his arms disappear from his neck.  
“Ad?” The glow of Danny’s phone makes him straighten, incredulous that they were meant to be kissing, not on a call to his boyfriend’s best mate. “Guess who’s getting their husband back?”

“You ain’t got one!” he laughs.

“Shut the fuck up,” Danny grumbles.

“Yeah, pedant,” Ryan agrees quietly, feeling Danny squeeze his neck.

“You know what I mean! Robron is very much ON!”

“Oh yeah, when?”

He has to give it to Adam, he does sound genuinely happy for him and Ryan appreciates that as well, just not as much as having Danny against some kind of metal shelf by the feel of it, their bodies pressed together.

“Mate, you know I can’t say much, my lips are - ” Ryan makes sure to kiss low on his throat at the same time his palm squeezes between his legs as they’re strictly not allowed to leave marks and especially not in the middle of a work day. Even so, Danny’s breath hitches satisfyingly and he smiles into his neck as he briefly loses the ability to speak. “Hey, _cheeky_ ,” he admonishes then - “Ad, my lips are sealed,”

“Don’t sound it,” he snorts, not entirely shocked that Danny’s called him right this second. Not when he’s almost caught them in far more compromising positions. “Get off the phone, you perverts!”

Ryan leans in. “Yeah, get off the phone, _Adam_!”

“I hate you guys so much, but congrats,” he chuckles, dutifully hanging up.

Danny gives Ryan a look. “Happy now?”

“Very.” He takes his phone and drops it into his own shirt pocket so they can quickly get back to more interesting things. “Now where were we?”  
“I think you were showing me just how pleased you were about us reuniting,” he smirks, ready and waiting to accept another kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


	15. Happy Anniversary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan receives a Happy Anniversary card.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I caught feels and this popped out on the 1 year anniversary of Robron's SSW episode.

Ryan walks out to his car to check that he hasn’t left his phone in there. He hopes he has, otherwise he’ll have a bigger problem on his hands because he has no idea where else it could be. He sighs, relieved, when he finds it stuffed in the driver’s side door, having been carrying too much in his hands when he’d arrived first thing that morning.

Ready to go back inside for the rest of his break and then to head onto set, he shuts the door and is about to lock his car and step away when he spots something pinned between the windscreen and the wiper. Hesitant, he carefully reaches to pull it off, feeling the thick card hidden in the plain blue envelope. His name is written very neatly on the front, like someone has taken the time and level of care to get it just right.

“Okay, this might not be as creepy as it looks,” he says to himself, swallows and glances around, nervous.

The carpark is empty of people, but there are plenty of cars still here in the middle of the day and the city bustling about like normal so surely someone would’ve raised the alarm if they’d seen anything dodgy. Besides, security is a thing. Telling himself he’s being silly and feeling calmer, Ryan opens the envelope and turns the card around to see what’s written there.

“Happy Anniversary,” comes a voice right over his shoulder, perilously close to his ear.

“Jesus fuck!” he shouts, startled, and spins around.

“Alright, calm down!” Danny laughs, his gaze so soft, as he stands there, hands in his pockets, looking so pleased with himself. “See, now that’s why I love doing that. Anyone else would see me, call me allsorts then tell me to fuck off,”

“You haven’t given me a chance yet,” Ryan pants, chest heaving, but they both know he won’t and Danny’s continued smile says it all. Ryan points to the card, a glittery monstrosity proclaiming ‘Happy Anniversary to my Husband’. “This doesn’t make sense, by the way. We’ve not got an anniversary right now.”

“Of course we do!”

He squints, remembering. “Well, it’s not the first time we met.”

“No,”

“And it’s not our first kiss on-screen or the wedding, so I’m all out of ideas, sorry,” Ryan admits, shrugging sheepishly.

“I hope you remember your anniversaries with Dais a lot better than this,” Danny huffs, taking the card from his slack grip to show him the inside. There’s a picture taped to the left side of them in arty black and white surrounded by water and on the right is Danny’s message, a scrawl far more familiar than the careful lettering on the envelope. No wonder he and Adam prank each other all the time.

It reads:

_To my TV husband Ryan,_

_It’s a year since we fell irreparably in love in a car underwater. I liked you well enough before, but now I love you and it’s all your fault._

_Here’s to many more years of fighting and making up (onscreen)_

_All my love always,_

_Your Danny x_

Ryan looks up at him again, rather lost for words. Danny grins.

“Like I said, happy anniversary,” He opens his arms for a hug and with the guilt of not realising - never mind not getting him a card too - still swirling in his gut, Ryan falls into his embrace, tucking his face into the space where his neck meets his shoulder. “Babe.”

“Don’t ruin it now,” he says, muffled.

Danny holds him tighter to stop him pulling away and Ryan sighs, relenting to the moment. He’ll have to make an effort now Danny’s done something as stupidly soppy and lovely as this.

Maybe for the reunion…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


	16. I Do See A Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from Anon: _Feeling inspired by those pics of Danny and his nephew. Any chance of you writing a fic where Ryan officially meets boyfriend Danny’s family at this christening and Ryan being the one to take the picture and maybe even Ryan being surprised Danny is so crazy about babies._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried, anon, I tried. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

It's been three months since Ryan decided to give this thing with Danny a proper go, rolling from a summer holiday as friends into something more surprisingly easy and natural. The foundations of friendship were already there, so all they had to do was take a leap of faith. A lot has happened in that quarter of a year, which is apt for all they've been through since they met at Ryan's audition and screentest, but it's not nearly enough to prepare Ryan for today and his jittery leg is doing him no favours in hiding how he really feels about this.

“You're nervous,” Danny states, concern and amusement warring on his face when Ryan looks at him, caught.

Damn it, he's being too obvious. 

He exhales slowly and tries to smile when his boyfriend's hand presses to his thigh as they sit in the back of a taxi heading for the church were Danny's latest nephew is being christened. Part of him wanted to drive to take his mind off being set upon by Danny's family, but Danny had shrugged and cajoled him into the fact that everyone would probably want to wet the baby's head after the christening, even though he's pretty sure that's usually for the birth of a newborn. The Millers don't seem to need much of an excuse for a get-together and as Danny's plus one now, he's been roped in too.

“You've met my parents loads of times,” Danny adds, squeezing and nudging his shoulder to Ryan's.

“Yeah, but not your entire...brood,” he explains awkwardly, heart beating faster in anticipation.

He prides himself on being charming enough to anyone who meets him that they soon leave him alone once they've got a good impression and had their fill, but knowing there'll be so many of Danny's relatives there is making him draw inward already. He likes some sort of control over his social situations and he feels it slipping. His family isn't as big, so he feels even more like a fish out of water.

“Oh, this won't be everyone,” Danny says casually and Ryan is surprised and relieved in equal measure until his boyfriend winks at him. “That's for weddings. We love a good wedding.”

Luckily, Ryan's quite fond of them too, incurable romantic that he is. All that love on display and the idea that it's the next chapter in a happy couple's future and he has a split second flash of what it might be like if he and Danny ever – if they -

He sees the chaos in his mind's eye, but calms when Danny grabs his hand. It's a nice gesture and they're also pulling up at the curb near the church, so he steels himself to walk into the masses.

It turns out to be not as bad as he feared. In fact, barely anyone they nod and briefly say hello to on their way past pay them that much attention and then Ryan internally squirms at such arrogance. It came from a place of anxiety and Danny's smile is understanding, softening further when he looks down the rows of pews to see more of his family gathered, including the star of the day, Danny's newest nephew. As if they know they're being watched, they turn and Danny waves and Ryan swallows hard, expecting them to run down the aisle and cover him in hugs and kisses until everyone starts to take a seat and the christening is about to begin.

“I'll show you off later,” Danny whispers to him, touching the knot of Ryan's tie like he's correcting its position, even though Ryan knows it's perfect because he checked about a million times himself.

They sit a couple of rows from the front and Ryan glances at Danny when the godparents do their bit, his blue eyes sparkling. This time, Ryan reaches for his hand and Danny sniffs, determined not to wipe his eyes on the sleeve of his lovely long coat. Ryan hadn't anticipated needing tissues, so he's a little lost. He rubs his thumb across the knuckle of Danny's and looks up when he snorts, a woman next to him, proffering him a delicate handkerchief.

“Alright?” Ryan checks, not used to seeing him this emotional out of the context of work.

Danny nods then leans in. “You tell any of the lads about this...”

He leaves the threat hanging and Ryan meets his eyes. They smile at each other slowly because they both know that it's probably not a secret to any of their friends that Danny's a big softy at heart, especially when it comes to children.

After the christening, Danny makes a beeline for his nephew and Ryan doesn't fancy loitering by the door, so he has no other choice but to follow. He puts his hands in his pockets to appear less formal and offers a shy smile as the group turn to him and Danny, but Danny only has eyes for the baby and he grins when his mother lets him go.

“Bobby Vincent!” he crows as the boy settles into the crook of his elbow, his other hand resting supportively against his backside. “Hello little man, it's a strong name y'know. How''re ya doing, eh?”

“Thank god he can't reply yet,” a dark haired woman in her early twenties rolls her eyes, “or you'd talk each other's ears off, probably,”

Bobby babbles as if to prove her point and Danny keeps grinning down at him. Ryan's too busy staring at him, the way he is so content with Bobby in his arms, to notice everyone staring at _him_ until someone clears their throat and another gently elbows Danny's other side.

“Aren't you gonna introduce us then?” a second female, appearing closer to Danny's sister Lucy's age pipes up, nodding towards Ryan.

“I didn't wanna make a fuss,” he shrugs and Ryan's heart soars. They've only just regularly started to say I love you like it's natural to do so and right now he could really say it.

The younger woman opens her mouth to protest when Lucy joins the group and Kaitlin, Danny's niece, skips over. “Uncle Danny!” she exclaims then spots Ryan and beams at him too. “Hiya Ryan,”

“Oh, so _you're_ the guy Danny can't stop talking about!” a man interrupts.

Danny lifts his head, eyes wide. “He's lying, I swear,”

“Yeah, yeah, sorry I ruined your street cred,” the man teases, holding out a hand. “Welcome to this crazy family, Ryan,”

Ryan shakes his hand, trying to wrap his head around him not saying “hi” or “nice to meet you”, but something far more bold, something that sounds...permanent.

“Great! Now you've petrified him,” his partner or wife gestures, tugging on his hand as if she's about to pull him away.

“It takes a lot to scare me,” Ryan finds himself saying and its Danny's proud grin that makes him want to blush. “It's nice to meet you all.”

“This isn't all of us. That's for weddings.”

Danny smirks like _I told you so_ and Ryan chuckles, resting his hand against Danny's lower back. If he had to admit it, the dark haired baby is kinda cute.

He hears someone in the group sigh happily and then the man steps forward, palms open. “Okay, can you please stop monopolising my son?”

Danny's about to give Bobby to his father when he pauses. “Can I get a photo first?”

“There's plenty of time for that after we get out of here,”

“Ah, just a quick one,” Danny needles and the man rolls his eyes, giving in. Ryan knows how persuasive his boyfriend is so he barely has time to think on it when Danny reaches into his trouser pocket and tosses his phone to Ryan. “Out the way, everyone,” he says, turning Bobby to face Ryan, “it's for the little man and me, his favourite uncle,”

“You can keep him if you want!” Bobby's mother laughs and Ryan's finger shakes just as he's about to take the picture.

Danny kisses Bobby's temple, noticing Ryan's hesitation. “Nah, we're a strictly dogs-only family for now,”

Again, Ryan feels warm as Danny proves over and over that he knows him so well and understands even what he's thinking and he relaxes into the banter as Danny grins for the photo, Ryan taking a couple to be sure and so his boyfriend can choose the best. He has no doubt that one will end up on social media and is glad he's behind the camera.

“You'll have to learn to hold one properly first,” he jokes as he hands Danny's phone back to him. 

“Excuse me? We can't all have teeny tiny sleeping babies like Lily to practice on!” he retorts, feigning offence.

“Practiced. Past tense,” Ryan winks.

“What's this?” the young woman asks as Danny finally hands Bobby to his dad, “Who's Lily?”

Danny and Ryan grin at each other. “It's a long story, cuz,” Danny nods to her. “And I'm not deathly afraid of them like you,” he adds to Ryan, smirking.

“I'm not!” he laughs, “Well, I'm not now. I was just doing what they told me to do,”

“You behave like a married couple already,” Lucy chips in.

There's mischief in her eyes and Danny bites his lip as Ryan looks away. He's secretly pleased because he does see this lasting with Danny and there's something nice about his sister recognising the possibility too. It feels like being truly welcomed.

The soft moment is broken by Bobby's father. “Hey, I heard Gary talking shit about Klopp earlier,”

“Really?” Danny smiles, “Right, lets go sort him out.” He moves then remembers Ryan's with him and rubs his elbow. “Hey, do you want to - ”

Lucy suddenly threads her arm through Ryan's. “We'll look after him, don't worry. Take Bobs with you. You're always saying it's never too early to make new Liverpool fans,”

Danny raises his eyebrows. “Bobs? We're not calling him Bobs, he sounds like a cat.” He pulls a face at Ryan then hooks his pinkie around his. “You sure?”

“Yes!”

“I'm talking to my boyfriend,” He tries to glare at his sister, but Ryan sees that he's too giddy at being able to declare Ryan as his in front of his extended family. 

“I'll be fine.” he smiles and Danny's already chatting to Bobby's dad as they walk away.

“He's always been like that y'know.” Lucy says, squeezing his arm. “We're a big family and even when our cousins were small, he was crazy about them, really _broody_ , and nothing's changed. I mean, look at him with this one,” she says, smoothing Kaitlin's hair away from her face as she hugs Lucy's waist, “like two peas in a pod.”

“Same mental age.” Ryan quips, “Actually no, Kaitlin's probably passed him now,”

“You're gonna fit right in with our lot with talk like that.” she smiles. She releases her daughter and Kaitlin heads straight for Danny and Bobby's dad with the others long since dispersed to home or the pub or elsewhere, leaving Ryan and Lucy left to stand together. “I hope you're not scared of it, commitment, 'cause I know Dan isn't. You might be the first proper serious boyfriend, but anyone with eyes can see that his googly eyes are for you.”

“I'm not,” Ryan says and means it. “I...I love him, but kids is a big thing and we're not even – I don't want to disappoint him,” he sighs, “I want to be sure, for both of us to be sure.”

Lucy is silent for a moment before she nudges his side. “Does this mean I can at least buy a hat?” she jokes.

Ryan looks across the church and sees that Danny has moved up the aisle. He ends up escorting Lucy to the door and meets Danny there, still deep in thought. It surprises him how comfortable he is already with the idea of being tied to Danny in some way forever and turns to whisper in Lucy's ear. “Maybe. Who knows.”

He leaves her side to join his boyfriend in the conversation still raging about football and pecks him chastely on the mouth in greeting because it feels like the right thing to do in that moment. It's no grand realisation that he does want a happy couple future, but a slow warm glow that starts inside him and sees reflected in Danny's bright eyes, curious about why Lucy is looking at him so soppily for a change, although Ryan brushes it off. Danny doesn't need to know they were talking about marriage and kids yet.

With a lifetime together ahead, they've got plenty of time for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


	17. Heart You Forever (Not Just For Valentine's)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What Ryan and Danny get up to behind the scenes filming the Valentine's Day episode. (2018)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a sudden little thing I knocked up last night on my tumblr after not posting for 2 months. Yikes
> 
> Hope you enjoy x

Danny and Ryan look towards the door in surprise as scripted, still feeling the temptation of Robert and Aaron’s near kiss as Alan calls cut. Ryan looks back at Danny, just in time to feel him squeeze the space between his neck and shoulder that he’s still got a grip on and then, from the corner of his eye, see him dart in to plant a kiss on his cheek, grinning.

“Oi, none of that!” he warns playfully, recoiling away but not enough for Danny’s hand to drop from its place.

“Not yet anyway,” Danny smiles wider, poking his tongue out.

Ryan shoves him away, hand to his chest. “You’ve got a boyfriend!”

“Yeah, I do.” Danny’s leering tone of voice makes Ryan chuckle as the crew bustle around them and, as typical actors, they wait for the next take to happen. “Well, actually it’s _fiancé_ now innit,”

Ryan raises his eyebrows. “You move fast. Does Alex know you’re engaged to him?”

At last, Danny breaks his flirty teasing to roll his eyes. “Very funny,”

“I thought so.”

This is why they get along and always have. It’s so easy to sit and chat, be silly and have a laugh about it, making quips back and forth. It’s why it was so easy to become something more. Dating, boyfriends, Danny asking him to marry him around the time things were so tense and difficult for their onscreen counterparts.

He’s lost in his own head until Alan gets their attention and he mentions something about them trying for “that look” when they’re acting. Danny must’ve been staring at him too because he tries to hide his blush, but Ryan beams at him - a smile that’s all him, no trace of his character - and that seems to make his embarrassment worth it.

\---

One of the things Ryan knows Danny has never quite got used to is the fact that they film everything out of sequence. Different work days can contain several different scenes from numerous different episodes. He’s always professional, of course, but it is bit of a mindfuck to keep your head on straight, but he seems to be enjoying every scene so much today, the tension crackling between them as they act opposite each other.

They’ve just finished the scene of Aaron watching Robert make fresh pasta as they talk about Liv. Danny still looks positively dreamy, so Ryan does the only thing he knows that’ll bring him back and leans over to tickle his side. He has a significant height advantage from being stood up and Danny yelps when he realises that Ryan’s hands are still dusted with flour.

“Stop, stop! Jesus Christ, you’ll get me killed!” he shouts, squirming violently in his seat.

“It’s just flour, it’ll brush off!” Ryan laughs, not letting up with his nimble fingers, grazing every single one of Danny’s sensitive spots (okay, maybe there’s a few not-safe-for-work ones left).

“No, piss off will ya! Wardrobe will literally - _ahh!_ \- murder - me!”

He ineffectually bats away Ryan’s hands and is already halfway off his seat before Ryan realises that if he doesn’t do something, Danny’s going to fall backwards and then he really might be in trouble. In the split second between when he stops tickling him and the time that he lands on the floor, Ryan lunges and grabs the back of the chair, his arm practically around Danny’s back like he almost meant to make it happen, a dramatic dip at the end of a romantic dance.

“Gotcha,” he breathes, their faces as close as their earlier onscreen almost kiss.

The memory of it must cross Danny’s mind for a second, Ryan can see it in his eyes, before he blinks. “Fuck you,” he says, with a frown but no heat whatsoever.

“Sorry,” he chuckles, righting Danny onto four legs and picking up the tea towel on the table. “Here, because it’s my fault, let me help,”

He gets about two swipes to his side and one unnecessary brush near his crotch before Danny snatches it from him. “Alright, alright! You’re forgiven.” He quickly picks up one of the pieces of what looks to be ravioli and shoves it into Ryan’s mouth. It’s entirely uncooked and Ryan rushes to the sink to spit it out, Danny’s laughter ringing in his ears.

\---

After that and with the taste of raw pasta still in his mouth, Ryan decides to stick around to watch Danny’s scene with Steven. He has to film Robert’s panicked exit from the Mill after it anyway, so he loiters nearby, but not too close to disturb Alan as he directs Steven and Danny.

As they wait for lighting to be adjusted (it’s got considerably lighter on this set nowadays), Ryan gently nudges the script supervisor as he gets an idea. Alan’s a laid back, cheery kind of guy so he thinks he won’t mind if something out of the ordinary happens.

When Aaron rebuffs Alex’s advances of a night in with Liv and Steven puts his hand on Danny’s forehead in doctor mode, Ryan starts to tiptoe on set. As Steven takes a step back, he rushes in. He sees the confusion of Danny’s face, but also him trying to then roll with it, as if this is part of the scene despite knowing it definitely isn’t. 

Ryan gets between them and cups Danny’s face in his hands, kissing him full on the mouth. Danny instantly melts into his body and opens up, the crew breaking into hollers, giggles and wolf-whistling as they snog each other breathless. 

It reminds Ryan of their first onscreen kiss and the one before Super Soap Week began all rolled into the here and now and eventually, he pulls away enough to look into Danny’s surprised eyes, still holding his face.

“If you hadn’t asked me to marry you already, I’d absolutely do it right now,” he whispers, giving Danny a more chaste peck on his slack lips.

“Ditto,” he snorts, smiling.

Ryan turns around to the crew and shrugs, a little sheepish now that the moment is over. “Sorry, I’ve always wanted to do that,”

“What, ruin a perfectly good scene?” a grip shouts from the back.

Everyone laughs, including Alan, before he schools his expression. “Alright, can we go again, please? Without the streaker this time,”

There’s a murmur of assent and a few more giggles, Ryan nodding like he deserved the dig, and he quickly turns to Steven, standing a couple of steps behind him, hands in his pockets.

“Sorry to you too.” He gives him an awkward two thumbs up. “You’re doing great,”

“Go!” Danny chuckles, kicking Ryan’s calf then pulling him in by Robert’s navy shirt to sneak in one last, quick kiss.

The second time, he watches Danny as quiet as a mouse, radiating pride for the man he loves as he is also an actor he adores. 

It’s good to be filming in Danny’s orbit again and soon their working relationship will be as busy as their personal, just like they’re used to, just like it should be.

He always did like Valentine’s Day.


End file.
